Spatial light modulator, method of driving same, and exposure method and apparatus

ABSTRACT

A method of driving a spatial light modulator includes: setting, in an array of mirror elements, mirror elements in a first state for turning incident light into reflected light with the same phase as that of the incident light or with a phase different by a first phase from that of the incident light and mirror elements in a second state for turning incident light into reflected light with a phase different approximately 180° from the first phase to an arrangement with a first phase distribution; and setting, in the array of mirror elements, the first mirror elements and the second mirror elements to an arrangement with a second phase distribution which is an inversion of the first phase distribution.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a spatial light modulator having aplurality of optical elements and a method of driving the same, anexposure technology to expose an object with use of the spatial lightmodulator, and a device manufacturing technology using the exposuretechnology.

BACKGROUND ART

The exposure apparatus including those of a one-shot exposure type suchas steppers or those of a scanning exposure type such as scanningsteppers are used for forming a predetermined pattern in each shot areaon a substrate such as a wafer or a glass plate via a projection opticalsystem, for example, in a lithography process for manufacturing devices(electronic devices or microdevices) such as semiconductor devices orliquid crystal display devices.

There are the recently-proposed exposure apparatus of a so-calledmaskless method to generate a variable pattern on the object plane ofthe projection optical system, using spatial light modulators (SLM)having an array of many microscopic mirrors an inclination angle of eachof which is variable, instead of masks, for efficiently manufacturingeach of devices while suppressing an increase of manufacturing cost dueto preparation of masks for respective types of devices and masks forrespective layers on the substrate (e.g., cf. Patent Literature 1).There are also the proposed spatial light modulators of a type having anarray of many micromirrors a height of a reflective surface of each ofwhich is controllable, in order to control a phase distribution ofincident light (e.g., cf. Non Patent Literature 1).

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

-   -   Patent Literature 1: International Publication WO2009/060745

Non Patent Literature

-   -   Non Patent Literature 1: Yijian Chen et al., “Design and        fabrication of tilting and piston micromirrors for maskless        lithography,” Proc. of SPIE (U.S.A.) Vol. 5751, pp. 1023-1037        (2005)

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

In use of the spatial light modulator having the array of manymicromirrors, errors of height (phase) set for each micromirror include,for example, a systematic error which is an error with a predeterminedtendency common to the many micromirrors, in addition to a random error.Among these errors, influence of the random error is alleviated, forexample, by averaging effect. However, since influence of the systematicerror is not alleviated by averaging effect, occurrence of thesystematic error can cause an intensity distribution of a spatial imagefinally formed on the surface of the substrate to deviate from a targetdistribution.

Furthermore, when there is light passing via gap regions between themicromirrors, the light can cause the intensity distribution of thespatial image finally formed on the surface of the substrate to deviatefrom the target distribution.

In the light of the above-described circumstances, an object of thepresent invention is to reduce the error from the target distribution ofthe intensity distribution of the spatial image finally formed on thesurface of the substrate, in use of the spatial light modulator havingthe array of optical elements.

Solution to Problem

A first aspect of the present invention provides a method of driving aspatial light modulator having an array of optical elements each ofwhich is to be illuminated with light. This driving method comprises:setting, in a first region which is at least a part of the array ofoptical elements, an arrangement of optical elements in a first statefor letting incident light pass as light with the same phase as that ofthe incident light or with a phase different by a first phase from thatof the incident light and optical elements in a second state for lettingincident light pass as light with a phase different by a second phasewhich is different substantially 180° from the first phase, to a firstarrangement; and setting, in a second region which is at least a part ofthe array of optical elements, an arrangement of optical elements in thefirst state and optical elements in the second state to a secondarrangement in which optical elements in the first state or in thesecond state in the first arrangement are inverted into the second stateor into the first state, respectively.

A second aspect of the present invention provides an exposure method ofexposing a substrate with exposure light via an array of opticalelements in a spatial light modulator and via a projection opticalsystem. This exposure method comprises: setting an arrangement of statesof the optical elements by the method of driving the spatial lightmodulator according to the present invention; and implementing overlayexposure of the substrate with the exposure light from an illuminationarea including the first region and the second region of the array ofoptical elements via the projection optical system, in a state in whichthe optical elements are set in the first arrangement and in a state inwhich the optical elements are set in the second arrangement.

A third aspect of the present invention provides an exposure method ofexposing at least a partial region on a substrate with exposure lightvia a first spatial light modulator with an array of optical elementsand via a projection optical system, and exposing at least the partialregion on the substrate with exposure light via a second spatial lightmodulator with an array of optical elements and the projection opticalsystem. This exposure method comprises: setting, in a first region whichis at least a part of the array of optical elements in the first spatiallight modulator, an arrangement of optical elements in a first state forletting incident light pass as light with the same phase as that of theincident light or with a phase different by a first phase from that ofthe incident light and optical elements in a second state for lettingincident light pass as light with a phase different by a second phasewhich is different substantially 180° from the first phase, to a firstarrangement; and setting, in a second region which is at least a part ofthe array of optical elements in the second spatial light modulator andcorresponds to the first region, an arrangement of optical elements inthe first state for letting incident light pass as light with the samephase as that of the incident light or with a phase different by thefirst phase from that of the incident light and optical elements in thesecond state for letting incident light pass as light with a phasedifferent by the second phase which is different substantially 180° fromthe first phase, to a second arrangement. An arrangement of opticalelements in the first state in the first arrangement corresponds to anarrangement of optical elements in the second state in the secondarrangement, and an arrangement of optical elements in the second statein the first arrangement corresponds to an arrangement of opticalelements in the first state in the second arrangement.

A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a spatial lightmodulator having an array of optical elements each of which is to beilluminated with light. This spatial light modulator comprises: aplurality of first circuits which output a first signal for settingstates of the optical elements to a first state for letting incidentlight pass as light with the same phase as that of the incident light orwith a phase different by a first phase from that of the incident light,or a second signal for setting the states of the optical elements to asecond state for letting incident light pass as light with a phasedifferent by a second phase which is different substantially 180° fromthe first phase; a control circuit which controls output signals fromthe plurality of first circuits, in order to set, in a first regionwhich is at least a part of the array of optical elements, anarrangement of optical elements in the first state and optical elementsin the second state to a first arrangement; and a plurality of secondcircuits which invert the output signals from the first circuits, inorder to set, in a second region which is at least a part of the arrayof optical elements, an arrangement of optical elements in the firststate and optical elements in the second state to a second arrangementin which optical elements in the first state or in the second state inthe first arrangement are inverted into the second state or into thefirst state, respectively.

A fifth aspect of the present invention provides an exposure apparatusfor exposing a substrate with exposure light via a projection opticalsystem. This exposure apparatus comprises: an illumination system whichemits the exposure light; a spatial light modulator which is arranged onthe object plane side of the projection optical system and which has anarray of optical elements each of which can be controlled so as to guidethe exposure light to the projection optical system; and a controldevice which controls the illumination system and the spatial lightmodulator, and the control device operates as follows: the controldevice sets, in a first region which is at least a part of the array ofoptical elements, an arrangement of optical elements in a first statefor letting incident light pass as light with the same phase as that ofthe incident light or with a phase different by a first phase from thatof the incident light and optical elements in a second state for lettingincident light pass as light with a phase different by a second phasewhich is different substantially 180° from the first phase, to a firstarrangement, in accordance with a spatial image formed on the substratevia the projection optical system, to expose the substrate; and thecontrol device sets, in a second region which is at least a part of thearray of optical elements, an arrangement of optical elements in thefirst state and optical elements in the second state to a secondarrangement in which optical elements in the first state or in thesecond state in the first arrangement are inverted into the second stateor into the first state, respectively, to implement overlay exposure ofthe substrate.

A sixth aspect of the present invention provides a device manufacturingmethod comprising: forming a pattern of a photosensitive layer on thesubstrate, using the exposure method or the exposure apparatus of thepresent invention; and processing the substrate with the pattern formedthereon.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

The present invention comprises setting the optical elements in thefirst state and in the second state to the first arrangement in thefirst region of the array of optical elements and setting the opticalelements in the first state and in the second state to the secondarrangement which is the inversion of the first arrangement in thesecond region of the array of optical elements, in the spatial lightmodulator, and when there is the systematic error in the opticalelements in the first arrangement, there is the systematic error with anopposite sign in the optical elements in the second arrangement. Forthis reason, for example, by overlap illumination of an illuminationtarget surface with light from the optical elements in the firstarrangement and with light from the optical elements in the secondarrangement, influence of the systematic error is alleviated.Furthermore, when there is light passing via gap regions between theoptical elements, influence of the light passing via the gap regions isalso alleviated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a schematic configuration of an exposureapparatus as an example of embodiments.

FIG. 2(A) is an enlarged perspective view showing a part of spatiallight modulator 28 in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2(B) a cross-sectional view alongthe line BB in FIG. 2(A).

FIG. 3(A) is a drawing showing shot areas on a wafer during scanningexposure, FIG. 3(B) a drawing showing a shot area on the wafer duringexposure in the step-and-repeat method, and FIG. 3(C) a drawing showinga light intensity distribution of an exposure region.

FIG. 4(A) is a drawing showing a first phase distribution for forming afirst pattern of the spatial light modulator, FIG. 4(B) an enlarged viewof a part of FIG. 4(A), FIG. 4(C) an enlarged view showing resistpatterns of spatial images corresponding to the phase distribution ofFIG. 4(A), and FIG. 4(D) an enlarged view showing resist patterns in thepresence of the systematic error in the phase of the mirror elements 30.

FIG. 5(A) is an enlarged view showing reduced (shrunk) resist patternsin the presence of the systematic error in the phase of the mirrorelements 30, FIG. 5(B) a drawing showing relations between line widthsof the left patterns in FIG. 5(A) and defocus amounts, and FIG. 5(C) adrawing showing relations between line widths of the right patterns inFIG. 5(A) and defocus amounts

FIG. 6(A) is a drawing showing a first phase distribution including thesystematic error of the spatial light modulator, FIG. 6(B) an enlargedview showing reduced resist patterns corresponding to the phasedistribution of FIG. 6(A), FIG. 6(C) a drawing showing a second phasedistribution which is an inversion of the phase distribution of FIG.6(A), FIG. 6(D) an enlarged view showing reduced resist patternscorresponding to the phase distribution of FIG. 6(C), and FIG. 6(E) anenlarged view showing reduced resist patterns after double exposure.

FIG. 7(A) is a drawing showing a first phase distribution includingreflection in gap regions in the spatial light modulator, FIG. 7(B) anenlarged view showing resist patterns corresponding to the phasedistribution of FIG. 7(A), FIG. 7(C) a drawing showing a second phasedistribution which is an inversion of the phase distribution of FIG.7(A), FIG. 7(D) an enlarged view showing resist patterns correspondingto the phase distribution of FIG. 7(C), and FIG. 7(E) an enlarged viewshowing resist patterns after double exposure.

FIG. 8(A) is an enlarged view showing a part of a first phasedistribution including gap regions generating reflected light, FIG. 8(B)an enlarged view showing resist patterns corresponding to the firstphase distribution, FIG. 8(C) a drawing showing a part of a second phasedistribution which is an inversion of the first phase distribution, FIG.8(D) an enlarged view showing resist patterns corresponding to thesecond phase distribution, and FIG. 8(E) an enlarged view showing resistpatterns after double exposure.

FIG. 9(A) is a drawing showing a first phase distribution for forming asecond pattern of the spatial light modulator, FIG. 9(B) an enlargedview of a part of FIG. 9(A), and FIG. 9(C) an enlarged view showingresist patterns of spatial images corresponding to the phasedistribution of FIG. 9(A).

FIG. 10(A) is a drawing showing a first phase distribution for thesecond pattern including the systematic error of the spatial lightmodulator, FIG. 10(B) an enlarged view showing resist patternscorresponding to the phase distribution of FIG. 10(A), FIG. 10(C) adrawing showing a second phase distribution which is an inversion of thephase distribution of FIG. 10(A), FIG. 10(D) an enlarged view showingresist patterns corresponding to the phase distribution of FIG. 10(C),and FIG. 10(E) an enlarged view showing resist patterns after doubleexposure.

FIG. 11(A) is a drawing showing a first phase distribution for thesecond pattern including reflection in gap regions in the spatial lightmodulator, FIG. 11(B) an enlarged view showing resist patternscorresponding to the phase distribution of FIG. 11(A), FIG. 11(C) adrawing showing a second phase distribution which is an inversion of thephase distribution of FIG. 11(A), FIG. 11(D) an enlarged view showingresist patterns corresponding to the phase distribution of FIG. 11(C),and FIG. 11(E) an enlarged view showing resist patterns after doubleexposure.

FIG. 12(A) is an enlarged view showing a part of a first phasedistribution for the second pattern including gap regions generatingreflected light, FIG. 12(B) an enlarged view showing resist patternscorresponding to the first phase distribution, FIG. 12(C) a drawingshowing a part of a second phase distribution which is an inversion ofthe first phase distribution, FIG. 12(D) an enlarged view showing resistpatterns corresponding to the second phase distribution, and FIG. 12(E)an enlarged view showing resist patterns after double exposure.

FIG. 13(A) is a drawing showing zero-order light and ±first-order lightfrom a periodic pattern, FIG. 13(B) a drawing showing a first phasedistribution, and FIG. 13(C) a drawing showing a second phasedistribution which is an inversion of the first phase distribution.

FIG. 14(A) is a drawing showing a light intensity distribution in ascanning direction of an exposure region, FIG. 14(B) an explanatorydrawing of a moving method of phase distribution in the array of mirrorelements 30 in the spatial light modulator, and FIG. 14(C) a drawingshowing two spatial light modulators in a modification example of theembodiment.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of modulationcontrol unit 48 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of implementingexposure while driving the spatial light modulator.

FIGS. 17(A), (B), and (C) are drawings showing respective states ofmovement of phase distribution in the scanning direction on the array ofmirror elements 30 in the spatial light modulator.

FIGS. 18(A) and (B) are drawings showing respective states of movementof phase distribution in the scanning direction on the array of mirrorelements 30 in the spatial light modulator, subsequent to FIG. 17(C).

FIG. 19(A) is an enlarged view showing an arrangement of mirror elements30 including gap regions, and FIGS. 19(B), (C), (D), and (E) areenlarged views showing resist patterns after double exposure in caseswhere the gap phase is 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°, respectively, with thesystematic error ΔZ of 2 nm.

FIG. 20(A) is an enlarged view showing an arrangement of mirror elements30 including gap regions, and FIGS. 20(B), (C), (D), and (E) areenlarged views showing resist patterns after double exposure in caseswhere the gap phase is 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°, respectively, with thesystematic error ΔZ of 4 nm.

FIG. 21 is a drawing showing an example of relations between systematicerrors ΔZ and errors of line widths of resist patterns with differentgap phases.

FIG. 22 is a drawing showing an example of change in errors of linewidths of resist patterns with variations of the gap phase.

FIG. 23 is a block diagram showing a part of a modulation control unitin a modification example.

FIG. 24 is a drawing showing a relation of signals in FIG. 23.

FIG. 25 is a block diagram showing a part of a modulation control unitin another modification example.

FIG. 26 is a drawing showing a schematic configuration of an exposureapparatus of a modification example.

FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing an example of steps of manufacturingelectronic devices.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

An example of embodiments of the present invention will be describedbelow with reference to FIGS. 1 to 18.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an exposure apparatus EX ofthe maskless method according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, theexposure apparatus EX has a light source 2 for exposure which emitspulses of light, an illumination optical system ILS which illuminates anillumination target surface with illumination light (exposure light) ILfor exposure from the light source 2, a spatial light modulator 28 witha large number of mirror elements 30 which are respectiveheight-variable micromirrors arranged in a two-dimensional array patternapproximately on the illumination target surface or on a surface nearit, and a modulation control unit 48 which drives the spatial lightmodulator 28. Furthermore, the exposure apparatus EX has a projectionoptical system PL which receives the illumination light IL reflected bya reflective, variable, uneven pattern (mask pattern with a variablephase distribution) generated by the large number of mirror elements 30and which projects a spatial image (device pattern) createdcorresponding to the uneven pattern (phase distribution), onto a surfaceof a wafer W (substrate), a wafer stage WST which performs positioningand movement of the wafer W, a main control system 40 consisting of acomputer which generally controls the operation of the overallapparatus, various control systems, and so on.

The description hereinafter will be based on such a coordinate systemthat in FIG. 1, the Z-axis is set along a direction perpendicular to abottom surface of the wafer stage WST (a plane parallel to anunrepresented guide surface), the Y-axis is set along a directionparallel to the plane of FIG. 1 in a plane normal to the Z-axis, and theX-axis is set along a direction normal to the plane of FIG. 1. Anglesaround the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis will also be called angles in θxdirection, θy direction, and θz direction, respectively. In the presentembodiment, the wafer W is scanned in the Y-direction (scanningdirection) during exposure.

The light source 2 applicable herein can be a solid-state pulsed laserlight source which generates a harmonic of laser light output from a YAGlaser or a solid-state laser (semiconductor laser or the like). Thesolid-state pulsed laser light source can emit pulses of laser light,for example, with the wavelength of 193 nm (or any one of variouswavelengths except for it) and with the pulse width of about 1 ns, e.g.,a pulsed laser beam of linearly polarized light at the frequency ofapproximately 1 to 3 MHz. The light source 2 also applicable herein canbe, for example, an ArF excimer laser light source which emits pulses oflaser light with the wavelength of 193 nm and the pulse width of about50 ns, at the frequency of approximately 4 to 6 kHz, a KrF excimer laserlight source with the wavelength of 248 nm, or a light emitting diodewhich emits pulsed light.

In the present embodiment, a power supply 42 is connected to the lightsource 2. The main control system 40 supplies to the power supply 42,emission trigger pulses TP indicative of timing and light quantity(pulse energy) of pulse emission. In synchronism with the emissiontrigger pulses TP, the power supply 42 makes the light source 2 emitpulses at the indicated timing and light quantity.

The illumination light IL consisting of a substantially parallel beam ofpulsed laser light with a rectangular sectional shape emitted from thelight source 2 travels via a beam expander 4 consisting of a pair ofcylindrical lenses, a polarization control optical system 6 to control astate of polarization of the illumination light IL, and a mirror 8A, toenter a diffractive optical element (diffractive optical element 10A inFIG. 1) selected from a plurality of diffractive optical elements 10A,10B, and so on, in parallel with the Y-axis. The polarization controloptical system 6 is, for example, an optical system that can replaceablyset one of a half wave plate to rotate the direction of polarization ofthe illumination light IL, a quarter wave plate to convert theillumination light IL into circularly polarized light, and abirefringent prism of a wedge shape to convert the illumination light ILinto randomly polarized light (unpolarized light).

The diffractive optical elements 10A, 10B, etc. are fixed atapproximately equal angle intervals to a peripheral part of a rotaryplate 12. The main control system 40 controls the angle of the rotaryplate 12 through a drive unit 12 a, to set a diffractive optical elementselected according to an illumination condition, on the optical path ofthe illumination light IL. The illumination light IL diffracted by theselected diffractive optical element is guided to an entrance plane of amicrolens array 16 by a relay optical system 14 consisting of lenses 14a, 14 b. The illumination light IL incident into the microlens array 16is two-dimensionally divided by a large number of microscopic lenselements forming the microlens array 16, to form a secondary lightsource (surface light source) on a pupil plane (illumination pupil planeIPP) of the illumination optical system ILS which is a rear focal planeof each lens element.

As an example, the diffractive optical element 10A is provided fornormal illumination, the diffractive optical element 10B for small σillumination to generate illumination light with a small coherencefactor (σ value), and other diffractive optical elements (not shown) arealso provided for dipolar illumination, for quadrupolar illumination,for annular illumination, and so on. A spatial light modulator having anarray of a large number of microscopic mirrors inclination angles ofeach of which are variable around two axes orthogonal to each other, maybe used instead of the plurality of diffractive optical elements 10A,10B, etc., and a fly's eye lens or the like can also be used instead ofthe microlens array 16. A zoom lens may also be used in place of therelay optical system 14.

The illumination light IL from the secondary light source formed on theillumination pupil plane IPP travels via a first relay lens 18, a fieldstop 20, a mirror 8B to bend the optical path into the −Z-direction, asecond relay lens 22, a condenser optical system 24, and a mirror 8C, tobe incident at an average incidence angle α in the θx direction onto anillumination target surface (a surface in design where a transferpattern is arranged) parallel to the XY plane. In other words, theoptical axis AXI of the illumination optical system ILS intersects atthe incidence angle α in the θx direction with the illumination targetsurface. The incidence angle α is, for example, from several deg (°) toseveral ten deg. In a power-off condition, reflective surfaces of thelarge number of mirror elements 30 arranged in the two-dimensional arraypattern in the spatial light modulator 28 are arranged on or near theillumination target surface. The illumination optical system ILS isconstructed including the optical members from the beam expander 4 tothe condenser optical system 24 and the mirror 8C.

The illumination light IL from the illumination optical system ILSilluminates a rectangular illumination area 26A elongated in theX-direction while covering the array of the large number of mirrorelements 30 in the spatial light modulator 28, with a substantiallyuniform illuminance distribution. The large number of mirror elements 30are arranged at predetermined pitches in the X-direction and in theY-direction in a rectangular region in the illumination area 26A. Theillumination optical system ILS and the spatial light modulator 28 aresupported by a frame not shown. The field stop 20 in the illuminationoptical system ILS is set at a position shifted by a predetermineddistance in the optical-axis direction from a plane COP conjugate withthe illumination target surface (the object plane of the projectionoptical system PL). This makes the intensity distribution of theillumination light IL in the illumination area 26A as a trapezoidaldistribution in the Y-direction (the direction corresponding to thescanning direction of the wafer W) and the X-direction (non-scanningdirection).

FIG. 2(A) is an enlarged perspective view showing a part of the array ofmirror elements 30 in the spatial light modulator 28 in FIG. 1, and FIG.2(B) a cross-sectional view along the line BB in FIG. 2(A). In FIG.2(A), the large number of mirror elements 30 are arranged at the pitches(periods) px and py in the X-direction and in the Y-direction,respectively. As an example, the X-directional and Y-directional widthsof the mirror elements 30 can be considered to be equal respectively tothe pitches px, py. The reflective surfaces of the mirror elements 30are square and the pitches px, py are equal to each other. It is notedherein that the reflective surfaces of the mirror elements 30 may berectangular or of other shape and that the pitches px, py may bedifferent from each other.

Each of the mirror elements 30 is located at a position P(i, j) which isthe ith position (i=1, 2, . . . , I) in the X-direction and the jthposition (j=1, 2, . . . , J) in the Y-direction. As an example, thenumber J of mirror elements 30 arranged in the Y-direction (directioncorresponding to the scanning direction) is from several hundred toseveral thousand, and the number I of mirror elements 30 arranged in theX-direction is from several times to several ten times the number J.Furthermore, the pitch px of arrangement of the mirror elements 30 is,for example, approximately from 10 μm to 1 μm.

The spatial light modulator 28 has the large number of mirror elements30, and a base member 32 which supports each of the mirror elements 30through hinge portions 35 (cf. FIG. 2(B)) each with flexibility(elasticity).

In FIG. 2(B), the base member 32 is composed of a substrate 32A of aflat plate shape which is, for example, comprised of silicon, and aninsulating layer 32B of silicon nitride (e.g., Si₃N₄) or the like formedon a surface of the substrate 32A. Support portions 34 are formed atpredetermined pitches in the X-direction and in the Y-direction on thesurface of the base member 32 and a back-side projection of each mirrorelement 30 is supported through a pair of two-stage hinge portions 35with flexibility in the Z-direction by elastic deformation, betweenadjacent Y-directional support portions 34. The support portions 34,hinge portions 35, and mirror elements 30 are integrally formed, forexample, of polysilicon. A reflective film 31 comprised of a thin filmof metal (e.g., aluminum or the like) to enhance reflectivity is formedon the reflective surface (front surface) of each mirror element 30.

Furthermore, electrodes 36A are formed on the surface of the base member32 on the bottom side of mirror elements 30 and electrodes 36B areformed on the bottom faces of the hinge portions 35 so as to be opposedto the electrodes 36A. Signal lines (not shown) for applying apredetermined voltage between corresponding electrodes 36A, 36B for eachmirror element 30 are provided in a matrix on the surface of the basemember 32 and on the side faces of the support portions 34. The signallines may be routed through through-holes (not shown) provided in thebase member 32. In the present embodiment, in a state withoutapplication of the voltage between the electrodes 36A, 36B in apower-off condition or even in a power-on condition (first state), thereflective surface of the mirror element 30 agrees with a referenceplane A1 which is a plane parallel to the XY plane, as indicated by themirror element 30 at the position P(i, j−1) onto which the illuminationlight IL2 is incident. On the other hand, in a state with application ofthe predetermined voltage between the electrodes 36A, 36B in thepower-on condition (second state), the reflective surface of the mirrorelement 30 agrees with a plane A2 displaced by a distance d1 in theZ-direction from the reference plane A1 in parallel with the XY plane,as indicated by the mirror element 30 at the position P(i, j) onto whichthe illumination light IL1 is incident. Each mirror element 30 in thespatial light modulator 28 is set either in the first state or in thesecond state.

The spatial light modulator 28 of this microscopic three-dimensionalstructure can be manufactured by use of the MEMS (MicroelectromechanicalSystems) technology, for example, as described in Non Patent Literature1 cited in the Background Art. Since each mirror element 30 of thespatial light modulator 28 needs only to be set in the first state or inthe second state by parallel displacement, it is easy to achievedownsizing of the mirror elements 30 and increase in the number ofarrangement of mirror elements 30.

In FIG. 2(B), in the state in which the reflective surface of eachmirror element 30 agrees with the reference plane A1 (the first state),let us define a change amount of the phase of the illumination light ILreflected by the mirror element 30, as a first phase δ1; in the presentembodiment the phase δ1 is 0°. Namely, in the present embodiment, thephase of the incident light is the same as the phase of the reflectedlight in the first state. In the state in which the reflective surfaceof each mirror element 30 agrees with the plane A2 displaced by thedistance d1 from the reference plane A1 (the second state), let usdefine a change amount of the phase of the illumination light ILreflected by the mirror element 30, as a second phase δ2; then the phaseδ2 is different by 180° (π (rad)) from the phase δ1. Specifically, therelations below hold.

δ1=0°  (1A),

δ2=180°=π(rad)  (1B)

In the description hereinafter the phases without unit refer to phasesin rad. The second phase δ2 is a difference between the change amount ofthe phase of the wavefront of reflected beam B1 indicated by a dashedline with the reflective surface of the mirror element at the positionP(i, j) agreeing with the reference plane A1 and the change amount ofthe phase of the wavefront of reflected beam B2 with the reflectivesurface agreeing with the plane A2 at the distance d1. As an example,when it is assumed that the angle of incidence α is approximately 0° andthat the wavelength of the illumination light IL1 incident to thereflective surfaces of the mirror elements 30 is λ (λ=193 nm herein),the distance d1 is given as follows.

d1=λ/4  (2A)

The distance between the reflective surface of the mirror element 30 inthe second state and the reference plane A1 includes, in addition to thedesigned distance d1, a manufacturing error and/or a random error due toa driving error or the like and/or a systematic error ΔZ (an error witha predetermined tendency occurring in common to almost all the mirrorelements 30) in fact.

When the angle of incidence a of the illumination light IL1 isapproximately 0, an error Δφ of the phase of reflected light B2corresponding to the systematic error ΔZ of the height of the reflectivesurface is given as follows, using the wavelength λ of the illuminationlight IL1.

Δφ=(4π/λ)ΔZ  (2B)

For this reason, the change amount (the second phase δ2) of the phase ofthe illumination light IL reflected by a certain mirror element 30 inthe second state is approximately 180°. A change amount of the phase δ2due to the random error and the systematic error is about ±10° as anexample. Influence of the random error is alleviated, for example, byexposing each point on the wafer W with multiple pulses.

Portions that reflect the illumination light IL in the surfaces of thesupport portions 34 between the mirror elements 30 will be referred toas gap regions 34 a. The phase of reflected light on the gap regions 34a is changed by a Z-directional distance d2 between the surfaces of thegap regions 34 a and the reference reflective surface A1. As an example,no consideration is given for the reflected light on the gap regions 34a, but influence thereof in the case of the width of the gap regions 34a being relatively wide will be described later.

In the description below, the mirror element 30 set in the first stateto reflect the incident illumination light with the phase change of 0°will also be called a mirror element of phase 0 and the mirror element30 set in the second state to reflect the incident illumination lightwith the phase change of 180° as a design value will also be called amirror element of phase π. The modulation control unit 48 in FIG. 1controls the voltage between the electrodes 36A, 36B of the mirrorelement 30 at each position P(i, j), according to information of a phasedistribution (an uneven pattern of the array of mirror elements 30) ofthe illumination light IL set from the main control system 40, to setthe mirror element 30 in the first state (phase 0) or in the secondstate (phase π).

FIG. 2(B) shows flip-flops 60A, 60B connected to each other andselection circuits 62A, 62B for selecting a first output of theflip-flop 60A, 60B or a second output as an inversion of the firstoutput, which are a part of the modulation control unit 48 in FIG. 1.When the first output of the flip-flop 60A or the like is at low level(or at high level), the second output is at high level (or at lowlevel). Outputs of the selection circuits 62A, 62B are connected to therespective electrodes 36A for driving two mirror elements arranged nextto each other in the Y-direction, and the electrodes 36B opposed to themare connected, for example, to a ground line (not shown). As an example,when the output of the selection circuit 62A or the like is at low level(or at high level), the corresponding mirror element 30 is set in thefirst state (or in the second state).

The first output of the preceding-stage flip-flop (not shown) issupplied to an input part of the flip-flop 60A, the first output of theflip-flop 60B is supplied to the input part of the subsequent-stageflip-flop (not shown), and a control unit (not shown) outputs clockpulses CKP and selection signals SELS. The flip-flops 60A, 60B, etc.shift their outputs in synchronism with the clock pulses CKP. A group offlip-flops connected in this manner is called a shift register. Theselection circuit 62A and other selection circuits are connectedrespectively to all the flip-flop 60A and other flip-flops. As anexample, each of the selection circuit 62A and others selects andoutputs the first output of the corresponding flip-fop 60A or otherflip-flop with the selection signal SELS being in a high-level duration,and selects and outputs the second output of the corresponding flip-flop60A with the selection signal SELS being in a low-level duration. Eachof the flip-flop 60A and others has outputs of multiple bits inpractice. The flip-flops 60A, 60B and selection circuits 62A, 62B andothers may be formed in a region near the region of the array of mirrorelements 30, for example, on the back surface of the substrate 32A or onthe front surface of the base member 32. An overall configurationexample of the modulation control unit 48 will be described later.

The flip-flops 60A, 60B, etc. in FIG. 2(B) are circuits for moving thephase distribution of the mirror elements 30 in the +Y-direction andthere are also a group of flip-flops (not shown) provided for moving thephase distribution in the −Y-direction. Each of the selection circuits62A, 62B, etc. selects one output of the two set of flip-flops inaccordance with the scanning direction of the wafer W.

In FIG. 1, the illumination light IL, after reflected by the array ofmany mirror elements 30 in the illumination area 26A of the spatiallight modulator 28, is incident at the average incidence angle α intothe projection optical system PL. The projection optical system PL withthe optical axis AXW supported by an unrepresented column is a reductionprojection optical system which is non-telecentric on the spatial lightmodulator 28 (object plane) side and telecentric on the wafer W (imageplane) side. The projection optical system PL forms a demagnified imageof a spatial image according to a phase distribution of the illuminationlight IL set by the spatial light modulator 28, on an exposure region26B (which is a region optically conjugate with the illumination area26A) in one shot area on the wafer W.

Since the light intensity distribution in the illumination area 26A isof the trapezoidal shape in the Y-direction and the X-direction asdescribed above, a light intensity distribution in the exposure region26B is also of a trapezoidal shape in the Y-direction (the scanningdirection of the wafer W) and the X-direction, as shown in the enlargedview of FIG. 3(C). In FIG. 3(C), intensity profiles EPY and EPX indicateintensity profiles of the illumination light IL on straight linespassing the center of the exposure region 26B in parallel with theY-axis and the X-axis, respectively. As seen from the intensity profilesEPY, EPX, the intensity decreases approximately linearly outward inslant portions 26Ba, 26Bb of a predetermined width at the Y-directionalends of the exposure region 26B and the intensity also decreasesapproximately linearly outward in joint portions 26Bc, 26Bd of apredetermined width at the X-directional ends of the exposure region26B. The slant portions 26Ba, 26Bb are provided for alleviatinginfluence of unintended phase imaging which can occur at the edges ofthe spatial light modulator 28. The joint portions 26Bc, 26Bd areprovided for alleviating the influence of unintended phase imagingoccurring at the edges of the spatial light modulator 28 and foralleviating joint errors to adjacent partial regions.

A projection magnification β of the projection optical system PL is, forexample, approximately from 1/10 to 1/100. The resolution of theprojection optical system PL is, for example, approximately from one toseveral times a width (β·px) of an image of the mirror element 30 in thespatial light modulator 28. For example, if the size of the mirrorelement 30 (the pitch of arrangement) is about several μm and theprojection magnification β of the projection optical system PL isapproximately 1/100, the resolution Re is approximately from several tennm to several times it. The wafer W (substrate) includes, for example,one obtained by coating a surface of a base member of a circular flatshape of silicon or SOI (silicon on insulator) with a photoresist(photosensitive material) in the thickness of approximately several tennm to 200 nm.

With the use of the projection optical system PL non-telecentric on theobject side as in the present embodiment, the reflective surfaces of thelarge number of mirror elements 30 in the spatial light modulator 28 andthe exposure surface of the wafer W (the surface of the photoresist) canbe arranged approximately in parallel with each other. Therefore, it iseasy to design and manufacture the exposure apparatus. When the exposureapparatus EX is the immersion lithography type, it is provided with alocal liquid immersion device to supply and collect a liquid (e.g., purewater) which transmits the illumination light IL, between an opticalmember at the tip of the projection optical system PL and the wafer W,for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Published Application No.2007/242247. The resolution can be further increased in the case of theimmersion lithography type because the numerical aperture NA can be madelarger than 1.

In FIG. 1, the wafer W is sucked and held on the top surface of thewafer stage WST through a wafer holder (not shown) and the wafer stageWST is configured to implement step movement in the X-direction and theY-direction on an unillustrated guide surface and movement at a constantspeed in the Y-direction. X-directional and Y-directional positions, anangle of rotation in the θz direction, etc. of the wafer stage WST aremade up by a laser interferometer 45 and this measurement information issupplied to a stage control system 44. The stage control system 44controls the position and speed of the wafer stage WST through a drivingsystem 46 such as a linear motor, based on the control information fromthe main control system 40 and the measurement information from thelaser interferometer 45. The apparatus is also provided with analignment system (not shown) to detect positions of alignment marks onthe wafer W, for carrying out alignment of the wafer W.

For carrying out exposure of the wafer W, the alignment of the wafer Wis first carried out as a basic operation and thereafter an illuminationcondition of the illumination optical system ILS is set. The maincontrol system 40 supplies information of a phase distribution (unevenpattern) corresponding to a pattern to be formed in a plurality ofpartial regions in each shot area on the wafer W, to the modulationcontrol unit 48. Then the wafer W is positioned at a scan startposition, for example, for carrying out exposure in shot areas SA21,SA22, . . . aligned on a line in the Y-direction on the surface of thewafer W shown in FIG. 3(A). Thereafter, scan is started at a constantspeed in the +Y-direction on the wafer W. Arrows in the shot areas SA22and others in FIG. 3(A) indicate directions of movement of the exposureregion 26B relative to the wafer W.

During the exposure, the main control system 40 supplies to the powersupply 42, the emission trigger pulses TP, for example, according to arelative position of a first partial area SA22 a of the shot area SA22on the wafer W relative to the exposure region 26B, to cause theillumination light to be emitted as pulsed light. Furthermore, the maincontrol system 40 supplies the control signal at a frequency of severaltimes to several ten times that of the emission trigger pulses TP to themodulation control unit 48. In synchronism with the control signal, themodulation control unit 48 controls the phase distribution (unevenpattern) of the array of optical elements in the spatial light modulator28 so as to gradually move the phase distribution of a transfer objectin the Y-direction. Through this process, the partial region SA22 a issubjected to scanning exposure with the exposure region 26B where theinternal spatial image moves gradually.

Thereafter, for exposure of the first partial region of the shot areaSA23 adjacent to the shot area SA22 on the wafer W, while the wafer W iskept scanned in the same direction, the modulation control unit 48 movesthe phase distribution of the array of optical elements in the spatiallight modulator 28 in the Y-direction in synchronism with the pulseemission of the illumination light IL as in case of the exposure of theshot area SA22. In this manner, the exposure can be continuously carriedout from the shot area SA21 to the first partial region of SA22.Thereafter, the wafer stage WST is actuated to implement step movementof the wafer W in the X-direction (non-scanning direction). Then, thescanning direction of the wafer W relative to the exposure region 26Bindicated by a dotted line is set to the opposite −Y-direction, and themodulation control unit 48 moves the phase distribution (uneven pattern)of the array of optical elements in the spatial light modulator 28 inthe opposite direction to that during the exposure of the first regionSA22 a and others of the shot area SA22 and others in synchronism withthe pulse emission of the illumination light IL. By this operation, theexposure can be continuously carried out from the shot area SA23 to thesecond partial region SA22 b and others of SA21. On this occasion,double exposure is implemented in the joint portions 26Bd and 26Bc ofthe exposure region 26B in FIG. 3(C) at the boundary portions of thefirst partial region SA22 a and the second partial region SA22 b, inorder to reduce the joint error.

In this manner, a predetermined spatial image can be efficientlytransferred by exposure in each of the shot area SA21 to SA23 and otherson the wafer W by the maskless method. Thereafter, the photoresist onthe wafer W is developed to form a resist pattern (circuit pattern)corresponding to the spatial image in each shot area on the wafer W. Itis noted that the shot areas SA21 to SA23 may be exposed while each areais divided into three or more partial regions in the X-direction.Furthermore, because of the maskless method, it is also possible toexpose the shot areas SA21 to SA23 with spatial images different fromeach other.

The below will describe a method of driving the spatial light modulator28 in the case where the systematic error ΔZ is included in the distancebetween the reference plane A1 and the reflective surface of the mirrorelement 30 in FIG. 2(B) set in the aforementioned second state (phase π)in the spatial light modulator 28 and where the error Δφ of Expression(2B) is thus included in the phase of the reflected light.

First, let us suppose that resist patterns to be formed on the surfaceof the wafer W after development are a pair of nearly square targets38A, 38B in axial symmetry each having approximately the X-directionalwidth of 40 nm and the Y-directional length of 48 nm and arranged withthe X-directional spacing of 40 nm, as shown in FIGS. 4(C) and 4(D) asan example. In FIG. 4(C) and others, the horizontal axis and thevertical axis correspond to the X-axis (nm) and the Y-axis (nm),respectively, on the image plane of the projection optical system PL.FIG. 4(A) is a perspective view showing an example of phase distribution50A of the illumination light IL (uneven distribution of the reflectivesurfaces of the mirror elements 30) formed by a part of the array ofmirror elements 30 in the spatial light modulator 28 in FIG. 1, in orderto form resist patterns as close to the targets 38A, 38B as possible,and FIG. 4(B) an enlarged view of the central part of FIG. 4(A). Thephase distributions of the array of mirror elements 30 in FIG. 6(A) andothers which will be described below are also respective perspectiveviews. It is also assumed for convenience′ sake of description that theprojection optical system PL forms an erect image. Furthermore, amongthe mirror elements 30, the mirror elements 30A in the first state(phase 0) are represented by patterns in white and the mirror elements30B in the second state (phase π) by hatched patterns.

In FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B), patterns 39A, 39B optically conjugate with thetargets 38A, 38B are shown as imaginary patterns by dashed lines. Thepitch px (=py) of the arrangement of the individual mirror elements 30is set to be 20 nm at the stage of projected image, i.e., to satisfyβ·px=20 (nm), using the projection magnification β of the projectionoptical system PL. The phase distribution 50A includes: a first region51A, a fourth region 51D, a fifth region 51E, an eighth region 51H, anda ninth region 51I each consisting of the mirror elements 30A in thefirst state (phase 0); a second region 51B, a third region 51C, a sixthregion 51F, a seventh region 51G, and a tenth region 51J each consistingof the mirror elements 30B in the second state (phase 70; and aperipheral region 51K of a frame shape surrounding these first region51A to tenth region 51J. The imaginary patterns 39A and 39B are arrangedin the first region 51A and in the second region 51B, respectively. Theperipheral region 51K is a region where the mirror elements 30A in thefirst state and the mirror elements 30B in the second state are arrangedin a checkered pattern. The checkered pattern can also be called acheckered grid or a checkerboard pattern. A spatial image correspondingto a phase distribution of the peripheral region 51K includes images ina line width that is half of the width of the images of the mirrorelements 30 and, because the projection optical system PL does notresolve patterns finer than the width of the images of the mirrorelements 30 (or because diffracted light does not pass through anaperture stop), the spatial image corresponding to the peripheral region51K becomes a light shielded part.

Simulations were conducted to obtain intensity distributions of spatialimages on image planes at the best focus position of the projectionoptical system PL and at defocus positions of ±40 nm, under illuminationconditions that the foregoing phase distribution 50A was used tooptimize the light quantity distribution of the illumination light IL onthe illumination pupil plane IPP so as to achieve a high resolution andthat the illumination light IL was linearly polarized light in theY-direction and, for comparison, under the condition that the systematicerror ΔZ of the height of the reflective surfaces of the mirror elements30 was 0. Furthermore, theoretical resist patterns obtained by slicingthose spatial images by a predetermined threshold (e.g., a value withwhich an average of X-directional widths becomes a target value) arepatterns L, R at the best focus position, patterns LP, RP with thedefocus of +40 nm, and patterns LM, RM with the defocus of −40 nm inFIG. 4(C). In this case, the left patterns L, LM, LP correspond to thetarget 38A in the −X-direction and the right patterns R, RM, RP to thetarget 38B in the +X-direction (the same also applies hereinafter). Theleft and right patterns L, R are elliptical against the targets 38A,38B, according to the resolution of the projection optical system PL. Itis found from FIG. 4(C) that when the systematic error ΔZ is 0, there islittle change in the formed resist patterns even with the defocuses. Itis noted hereinafter that in FIG. 4(D) and others, patterns Lj, Rj (j=0,1, 2, . . . ) represent resist patterns at the best focus position,patterns LjP, RjP resist patterns with the defocus of +40 nm, andpatterns LjM, RjM resist patterns with the defocus of −40 nm.

Next, simulations were conducted to obtain intensity distributions ofspatial images on the image planes at the best focus position of theprojection optical system PL and at the defocus positions of ±40 nm,under the same illumination conditions using the phase distribution 50Aand under the condition that the systematic error ΔZ of the height ofthe reflective surfaces of the mirror elements 30 was 2 nm (the phaseerror Δφ of Expression (2B) was approximately 7.5°). Furthermore,theoretical resist patterns obtained from the spatial images arepatterns L0, R0 at the best focus position and patterns L0P, R0P, L0M,R0M with the defocuses in FIG. 4(D). It is found from FIG. 4(D) thatwhen the systematic error ΔZ is 2 nm, ratios of sizes of the left andright resist patterns formed vary depending upon the defocuses (e.g.,the pattern LOP is smaller than the pattern R0P).

Targets 38AS, 38BS and patterns L1, R1, L1P, R1P, L1M, R1M in FIG. 5(A)are resist patterns obtained by subjecting the targets 38A, 38B and thepatterns L0, R0, L0P, R0P, L0M, L0M in FIG. 4(D) to shrink (reduction)in the width of 10 nm. Concerning the shrunk resist patterns, a CD(critical dimension) as a width in the transverse direction (theX-direction herein) of the left pattern L1P or the like is defined asCD-L and the CD of the right pattern R1P or the like as CD-R; under thisdefinition, the critical dimensions were calculated with various setvalues of the systematic error ΔZ and with various defocus amounts, inorder to quantify variations of sizes of the left and right resistpatterns.

FIGS. 5(B) and 5(C) show CD-L and CD-R calculated as described above. InFIGS. 5(B) and 5(C) the horizontal axis represents defocus amounts (nm)and the vertical axis change amounts ΔCD (%) of CD with respect to thetarget value; the change amounts ΔCD shown are those with the systematicerror ΔZ being set at 0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1 (nm). It is found from FIGS.5(B) and 5(C) that with the defocus amounts of ±40 nm, the CD error ofabout 7% is made even with the systematic error ΔZ of about 0.5 nm.However, the signs of left CD-L and right CD-R are opposite about thedefocuses and by making use of this relation, the CD error can besubstantially reduced even with the defocus in the presence of thesystematic error ΔZ, as described below.

Namely, in the present embodiment, when the systematic error ΔZ of themirror elements 30 is 2 nm, a first phase distribution 50A in FIG. 6(A)(which is the same as the phase distribution of FIG. 4(A)) is first setin the array of mirror elements 30 in the spatial light modulator 28 andthe wafer W is exposed with a spatial image by the projection opticalsystem PL. By imaginarily slicing and shrinking an exposure dosedistribution in this exposure, it is possible to obtain resist patternsL1, R1, L1P, R1P, L1M, R1M in FIG. 6(B) which are the same as those inFIG. 5(A). Thereafter, a second phase distribution 50B in FIG. 6(C)resulting from inversion of 0 and π of the phase distribution 50A is setin the array of mirror elements 30 in the spatial light modulator 28 andthe wafer is doubly exposed with a spatial image by the projectionoptical system PL. In the phase distribution 50B of FIG. 6(C), a firstregion 52A to a tenth region 52J corresponding to the first region 51A(phase 0) to the tenth region 51J (phase π) in FIG. 6(A) are of thephase to the phase 0, respectively. A peripheral region 52K of the phasedistribution 50B corresponding to the peripheral region 51K of the phasedistribution 50A is a checkered pattern but its phases are switched from0 to π and vice versa from those in the peripheral region 51K. Since theimage of the peripheral region 52K is a light shielded portion, thephase distribution of the same checkered pattern as the peripheralregion 51K may also be used instead of the peripheral region 52K.

In this case, when it is assumed that the systematic error ΔZ causes,for example, the second region 51B (phase π+Δφ) in comparison to thefirst region 51A (phase 0) to have the phase leading by Δφ from thetarget value in the phase distribution 50A, the second region 52B (phase0) in comparison to the corresponding first region 52A (phase π+Δφ) hasthe phase lagging by Δφ behind the target value in the phasedistribution 50B. In other words, the second phase distribution 50Bbecomes equivalent to a distribution resulting from inversion of thesigns of the systematic error Δφ (ΔZ) in the first phase distribution50A. For this reason, the characteristics of change against defocus ofthe line widths CD-L, CD-R of the left and right resist patterns in FIG.5(A) about the second phase distribution 50B become the characteristicsof FIGS. 5(C) and 5(B) opposite to those about the phase distribution50A.

Accordingly, by slicing exposure dose distributions of spatial images ofthe phase distribution 50B and shrinking sliced patterns, it is possibleto obtain resist patterns L2, R2, L2P, R2P, L2M, R2M in FIG. 6(D). Inthis case, concerning the patterns with the defocus of +40 nm, thepattern L2P on the target 38AS side in FIG. 6(D) is larger than thepattern R2P on the target 38BS side, while the pattern L1P on the target38AS side in FIG. 6(B) is smaller than the pattern R1P on the target38BS side. With the defocus of −40 nm, the magnitude relations betweenthe patterns L1M, R1M in FIG. 6(B) and the patterns L2M, R2M in FIG.6(D) are reverse to each other.

An exposure dose in the exposure of the spatial image of the phasedistribution 50A is equal to that in the exposure of the spatial imageof the phase distribution 50B and they are set to achieve an appropriateexposure dose after double exposure. As a result, an exposure dosedistribution after the double exposure is approximately equal to that inuse of the phase distribution 50A with the systematic error ΔZ of 0.Namely, by slicing the exposure dose distributions after the doubleexposure, it is possible to obtain patterns L3, R3 with the best focusand patterns L3P, R3P, L3M, R3M with the defocuses of ±40 nm asapproximately equal patterns, as shown in FIG. 6(E). Therefore, it isconfirmed that even if there are the systematic error ΔZ of 2 nm and thedefocus amount from about +40 to −40 nm, the patterns nearly equal tothe targets 38AS, 38BS can be formed after the development and shrink.

The Inventor confirmed that when reflected light from the gap regions 34a in the array of mirror elements 30 was mixed in the reflected lightfrom the mirror elements 30, influence thereof was alleviated byimplementing an overlay of the exposure with the foregoing first phasedistribution and the exposure with the second phase distribution whichis the inversion of the first phase distribution. Specifically, thefirst exposure is assumed to be carried out while the array of mirrorelements 30 in the spatial light modulator 28 is set in the phasedistribution 50A of FIG. 7(A) which is the same as FIG. 6(A). It is,however, assumed that in the phase distribution 50A of FIG. 7(A), thesystematic error ΔZ of the height of the mirror elements 30 in thesecond state is 0 and that there are gap regions 34 a of X-directionaland Y-directional widths cx, cy (provided that cx=cy) in the arrangementof the mirror elements 30, as shown in its partly enlarged view E6A. Asan example, while the pitch of the arrangement of images of the mirrorelements 30 is 20 nm (=β·px), the width β·cx of images of the gapregions 34 a is 2.5 nm (12.5% of the pitch). The reflectance Rc of thegap regions 34 a for the illumination light IL is assumed to be 10%(which is a percentage relative to the reflectance of the mirrorelements 30). Furthermore, it is assumed that a change amount δ3 of thephase of the reflected light from the gap regions 34 a (a differencefrom the change amount δ1 of the phase of the reflected light from themirror elements 30 in the first state), which is determined according tothe distance d2 between the reference reflective surface A1 and thesurfaces of the gap regions 34 a in FIG. 2(B), is 0°. In the descriptionhereinafter, the change amount δ3 of the phase of the reflected lightfrom the gap regions 34 a with respect to the change amount δ1 of phasewill also be referred to as gap phase.

In this case, simulations were also conducted under the condition thatthe wafer W was first exposed with the spatial image of the phasedistribution 50A in FIG. 7(A) by the projection optical system PL. Thesimulations of spatial images below were performed for situations wherethe spatial images were formed at the best focus position and at thedefocus positions of ±40 nm. In resist patterns corresponding toexposure dose distributions of the spatial images obtained as thesimulation results, patterns L4, L4P, L4M on the left target 38A sideare considerably larger than patterns R4, R4P, R4M on the right target38B side, as shown in FIG. 7(B).

Next, the second phase distribution 50B in FIG. 7(C) as the inversion of0 and π of the phase distribution 50A is set in the array of the mirrorelements 30 in the spatial light modulator 28 and the wafer W is doublyexposed with the spatial image by the projection optical system PL. Inthe phase distribution 50B as well, as shown in partly enlarged viewE6C, the reflectance Rc of the gap regions 34 a is 10% and the changeamount of the phase of the reflected light (gap phase δ3) is 0°. Inresist patterns corresponding to exposure dose distributions of thespatial images of the phase distribution 50B in FIG. 7(C), as shown inFIG. 7(D), patterns L5, L5P, L5M on the left target 38A side areconsiderably smaller than patterns R5, R5P, R5M on the right target 38Bside.

As a result, in resist patterns corresponding to exposure dosedistributions after the double exposure, as shown in FIG. 7(E), patternsL6, R6 with the best focus and patterns L6P, R6P, L6M, R6M with thedefocuses of ±40 nm become almost equal. It is found therefore that evenif the reflectance of the gap regions 34 a in the phase 0° in the arrayof the mirror elements 30 is approximately 10% and there is the defocusfrom +40 to −40 nm, patterns nearly equivalent to the targets 38A, 38Bcan be formed after development. In FIGS. 7(B), (C), and (E), the slicelevel to determine the pattern size was determined so that the maximumof the X-directional widths of the patterns in FIG. 7(E) becameapproximately equal to the target, and it was also applied to FIGS. 7(B)and (C).

Simulations were also conducted for situations where the change amount(gap phase δ3) of the phase of the reflected light from the gap regions34 a in the array of the mirror elements 30 was 270°. It was assumed inthis case that the phase distribution of the first exposure was the sameas the phase distribution 50A in FIG. 7(A) but the reflectance Rc of thegap regions 34 a was 1%, as shown in a partly enlarged view of FIG.8(A). In resist patterns corresponding to exposure dose distributions ofspatial images of this phase distribution 50A, as shown in FIG. 8(B), apattern L7M on the target 38A side is slightly larger than a pattern R7Mon the target 38B side, and a pattern L7P is slightly smaller than apattern R7P.

Furthermore, the phase distribution of the second exposure is the sameas the phase distribution 50B in FIG. 7(B), but the reflectance Rc ofthe gap regions 34 a is 1% and the gap phase δ3 270°, as shown in apartly enlarged view of FIG. 8(C). In resist patterns corresponding toexposure dose distributions of spatial images of the phase distribution50B in FIG. 8(C), as shown in FIG. 8(D), a pattern L8M on the target 38Aside is slightly smaller than a pattern R8M on the target 38B side and apattern L8P is slightly larger than a pattern R8P. Therefore, in resistpatterns corresponding to exposure dose distributions after the doubleexposure, as shown in FIG. 8(E), patterns L9, R9 with the best focus andpatterns L9P, R9P, L9M, R9M with the defocuses of ±40 nm becomeapproximately equal. It is therefore found that even if the reflectanceof the gap regions 34 a with the gap phase of 270° in the array ofmirror elements 30 is approximately 1% and there is the defocus fromabout +40 nm to −40 nm, the patterns nearly equivalent to the targets38A, 38B can be formed after development. In FIGS. 8(B), (C), and (E),the slice level to determine the pattern size was determined so that themaximum of the X-directional widths of the patterns in FIG. 8(E) becameapproximately equal to the target, and it was also applied to FIGS. 8(B)and (C).

Next, as another example, simulations were conducted for situationswhere resist patterns to be formed on the surface of the wafer W afterdevelopment were asymmetric patterns, as shown in FIG. 9(C). The resistpatterns in FIG. 9(C) are a short rectangular target 38C approximatelywith the X-directional width of 40 nm and the Y-directional length of 56nm and a long rectangular target 38D approximately with theX-directional width of 40 nm and the Y-directional length of 96 nmarranged with the X-directional space of 80 nm from the target 38C.

FIG. 9(A) shows an example of phase distribution 53A of illuminationlight IL formed by a part of the array of the mirror elements 30 in thespatial light modulator 28 in FIG. 1, in order to form resist patternsas close to the targets 38C, 38D as possible, and FIG. 9(B) is anenlarged view of the central part of FIG. 9(A). In FIGS. 9(A) and 9(B),patterns optically conjugate with the targets 38C, 38D are representedvirtually by dashed lines. The pitch of the arrangement of theindividual mirror elements 30 is set to be 20 nm at the stage ofprojected image. The phase distribution 53A includes a first region 54A,a third region 54C, a fourth region 54D, and a fifth region 54E eachconsisting of the mirror elements 30 in the phase π, a second region 54Bconsisting of the mirror elements 30 in the phase 0, and a peripheralregion 54F of a checkered pattern in a frame shape surrounding thesefirst region 54A to fifth region 54E.

With the use of the phase distribution 53A, simulations were conductedunder the unpolarized illumination condition with the coherence factor(σ value) of 0.14 and, for comparison, under the condition that thesystematic error ΔZ of the height of the reflective surfaces of themirror elements 30 was 0, to obtain intensity distributions of spatialimages on the image planes at the best focus position of the projectionoptical system PL and at the defocus positions of ±40 nm. Furthermore,resist patterns obtained from those spatial images are, as shown in FIG.9(C), such that patterns LA, RA at the best focus position and patternsLAP, RAP and LAM, RAM with the defocuses of ±40 nm are approximatelyidentical and each of them is a pattern close to the target 38C or 38D.

Next, with the use of the phase distribution 53A in FIG. 10(A) which isthe same as FIG. 9(A), simulations were conducted under the sameillumination condition and the condition that the systematic error ΔZ ofthe height of the reflective surfaces of the mirror elements 30 was 2nm, to obtain intensity distributions of spatial images. Furthermore,resist patterns obtained from the spatial images are, as shown in FIG.10(B), such that patterns LA1, RA1 at the best focus position aredifferent from patterns LA1P, RA1P, LA1M, RA1M with the defocuses.

Thereafter, a second phase distribution 53B including first region 55Ato fifth region 55E and peripheral region 55F in FIG. 10(C) which is aninversion of 0 and π of the phase distribution 53A, is set in the arrayof the mirror elements 30 in the spatial light modulator 28 and thewafer W is doubly exposed with spatial images by the projection opticalsystem PL. In this case, the systematic error in the phase distribution53B is also −ΔZ with respect to the systematic error ΔZ in the phasedistribution 53A. Therefore, resist patterns obtained by slicingexposure dose distributions of the spatial images of the phasedistribution 53B are, as shown in FIG. 10(D), such that patterns LA2,RA2 at the best focus position and patterns LA2P, RA2P, LA2M, RA2M withthe defocuses are different in characteristics opposite to those in FIG.10(B). As a result, by slicing exposure dose distributions after thedouble exposure, we obtain patterns LA3, RA3 with the best focus andpatterns LA3P, RA3P,LA3M, RA3M with the defocuses of ±40 nm as nearlyequal patterns, as shown in FIG. 10(E). It is therefore found that evenif the systematic error ΔZ is 2 nm and there is the defocus from about+40 nm to −40 nm, the patterns approximately equivalent to the targets38C, 38D can be formed after development.

It was also confirmed in this example that the influence of thereflected light from the gap regions 34 a in the array of the mirrorelements 30 was alleviated by implementing the overlay of the exposurewith the first phase distribution 53A and the exposure with the secondphase distribution 53B as the inversion thereof. Specifically, the firstexposure was based on the setup where the array of mirror elements 30 inthe spatial light modulator 28 was set in the phase distribution 53A ofFIG. 11(A) which is the same as FIG. 9(A) and the conditions that thesystematic error ΔZ was 0 and that, as shown in its partly enlarged viewE11A, the width β·cx of images of the gap regions 34 a with respect tothe pitch of 20 nm (=β·px) of the arrangement of images of the mirrorelements 30 was 2.5 nm (12.5% of the pitch). It was further assumed thatthe reflectance Rc of the gap regions 34 a was 1% and the change amountof the phase of the reflected light from the gap regions 34 a (thedifference from the change amount δ1) was 0°.

In this case as well, exposure dose distributions of spatial images ofthe phase distribution 53A in FIG. 11(A) are first obtained and resistpatterns obtained from the exposure dose distributions are, as shown inFIG. 11(B), such that left patterns LA4, LA4P, LA4M are smaller than thetarget 38C and right patterns RA4, RA4P, RA4M are larger than the target38D.

Next, the second phase distribution 53B in FIG. 11(C) as an inversion of0 and π of the phase distribution 53A is set in the array of mirrorelements 30 in the spatial light modulator 28 (where the reflectance Rcof the gap regions 34 a is 1% and the change amount of the phase of thereflected light therefrom is 0° as shown in a partly enlarged view E11C)and the wafer W is doubly exposed with the spatial image thereof by theprojection optical system PL. Resist patterns corresponding to exposuredose distributions of spatial images of the phase distribution 53B inFIG. 11(C) are, as shown in FIG. 11(D), such that left patterns LA5,LA5P, LA5M are approximately equal to the target 38C and right patternsRA5, RASP, RA5M are smaller than the target 38D. As a result, resistpatterns corresponding to exposure dose distributions after the doubleexposure are, as shown in FIG. 11(E), such that patterns LA6, RA6 withthe best focus and patterns LA6P, RA6P, LA6M, RA6M with the defocuses of±40 nm are approximately equal. It is therefore found that even if thereflectance of the gap regions 34 a in the phase 0° in the array ofmirror elements 30 is approximately 1% and there is the defocus fromabout +40 to −40 nm, the patterns nearly equivalent to the targets 38C,38D can be formed after development.

Furthermore, simulations were also conducted under the conditions thatthe phase distribution of the first exposure was the same as the phasedistribution 53A in FIG. 11(A) and that, as shown in a partly enlargedview of FIG. 12(A), the reflectance Rc of the gap regions 34 a was 1%and the change amount of the phase of the reflected light from the gapregions 34 a was 270°. Resist patterns corresponding to exposure dosedistributions of spatial images of this phase distribution 53A are, asshown in FIG. 11(B), such that a pattern LA7M (LA7P) on the target 38Cside is slightly smaller (larger), in comparison with a pattern RA7M(RA7P) on the target 38D side.

Furthermore, the phase distribution of the second exposure was the sameas the phase distribution 53B in FIG. 11(B) and, as shown in a partlyenlarged view of FIG. 12(C), the reflectance Rc of the gap regions 34 awas set to 1% and the change amount of the phase of the reflected lightfrom the gap regions 34 a to 270°. Resist patterns corresponding toexposure dose distributions of spatial images of the phase distribution53B in FIG. 12(C) are, as shown in FIG. 12(D), such that a pattern LA8M(LA8P) on the target 38C side is slightly larger (smaller), incomparison with a pattern LA8M (LA8P) on the target 38D side. Therefore,resist patterns corresponding to exposure dose distributions after thedouble exposure are, as shown in FIG. 11(E), such that patterns LA9, RA9with the best focus and patterns LA9P, RA9P, LA9M, RA9M with thedefocuses of ±40 nm are approximately equal. It is therefore found thateven if the reflectance of the gap regions 34 a in the phase 270° in thearray of mirror elements 30 is 1% and there is the defocus from about+40 to −40 nm, the patterns nearly equivalent to the targets 38C, 38Dcan be formed after development.

The below will describe situations where a periodic phase distributionis set in the array of mirror elements 30 in the spatial light modulator28. First, the phase distribution as an exposure object in the array ofmirror elements 30 is assumed to be, as shown in FIG. 13(A), adistribution in which an arrangement of the mirror elements 30 in thefirst state and with the change amount of the phase of the reflectedlight with respect to the incident light being φ1 (=0) and anarrangement of the mirror elements 30 in the second state and with thechange amount of the phase of the reflected light being φ2 (=π+Δφ) arerepeated at a predetermined pitch in the X-direction. The error Δφ inthe phase φ2 in the second state is the phase error of Expression (2B)corresponding to the systematic error ΔZ of the height of the reflectivesurfaces of the mirror elements 30. In this case, the amplitude a₀ ofzero-order light and the amplitudes a₁, a₋₁ of ±first-order light fromthe illumination light IL with the amplitude of 1 incident to the phasedistribution of FIG. 13(A) are as follows.

a ₀=(1/4){exp(iφ1)+exp(iφ2)}  (3A)

a ₁ =a ₋₁={1/(2 ^(1/2)π)}{exp(iφ1)−exp(iφ2)}  (3B)

By substituting φ1=0 and φ2=π+Δφ into these equations, we obtain theamplitudes a₀, a₁, and a₋₁ approximately as given below, under thecondition that Δφ (rad) is an infinitesimal value.

a ₀=−(1/4)iΔφ  (3C)

a ₁ =a ₋₁=(2^(1/2)/π)(1+iΔφ/2)/2)  (3D)

In this case as well, a phase distribution 56A in FIG. 13(B) which isthe same as FIG. 13(A) is first coherently illuminated to expose thewafer with a spatial image thereof. The x-directional electric fieldE₁(x) of the spatial image is given as below. It is noted herein thatthe pitch (period) of the spatial image is P.

E ₁(x)=a ₀+2a ₁exp(iΔθ)cos(2πx/P)  (3E)

The phase difference Δθ in Expression (3E) is a phase difference betweenthe zero-order light and the first-order light due to defocus. The phasedifference Δθ is given as below when δ is a defocus amount, n therefractive index of a medium between the projection optical system PLand the wafer, and λ the wavelength of the illumination light IL.

$\begin{matrix}{{\Delta \; \theta} = {\frac{2\; \pi}{\lambda}n\; \delta \left\{ {1 - \sqrt{1 - \left( \frac{\lambda}{nP} \right)}} \right\}}} & (4)\end{matrix}$

The intensity I₁(x) of the spatial image is expressed by the product ofthe electric field E₁(x) in Expression (3E) and its complex conjugate asbelow. The third expression below is an expression obtained by ignoringthe second-order and higher-order terms about Δφ under the conditionthat Δφ is an infinitesimal amount. The first term of the thirdexpression below is the intensity in an ideal focus condition, and thesecond term the intensity dependent on the systematic error Δφ.

$\begin{matrix}\begin{matrix}{{I_{1}(x)} = {{E_{1}(x)} \cdot \overset{\_}{E_{1}(x)}}} \\{= {{\frac{4}{\pi^{2}}{\left( {1 + \frac{\Delta \; \varphi^{2}}{2}} \right) \cdot \left\{ {{\cos \left( \frac{4\pi \; x}{P} \right)} + 1} \right\}}} -}} \\{{{\frac{\sqrt{2}}{\pi}\Delta \; \varphi \left\{ {{\frac{\Delta\varphi}{2}{\cos \left( {\Delta \; \theta} \right)}} + {\sin \left( {\Delta \; \theta} \right)}} \right\} {\cos \left( \frac{2\; \pi \; x}{P} \right)}} + \frac{\Delta \; \varphi^{2}}{16}}} \\{\approx {{\frac{4}{\pi^{2}}\left\{ {{\cos \left( \frac{4\; \pi \; x}{P} \right)} + 1} \right\}} - {\frac{\sqrt{2}}{\pi}\Delta \; {{\varphi sin}\left( {\Delta \; \theta} \right)}{\cos \left( \frac{2\; \pi \; x}{P} \right)}}}}\end{matrix} & (5)\end{matrix}$

Next, the wafer is assumed to be subjected to overlay exposure with aspatial image of a phase distribution 56B of FIG. 13(C), which is aninversion of the portions of phase 0 and the portions of phase π in thephase distribution 56A of FIG. 13(B). In the phase distribution 56B, thesystematic phase error Δφ is also added to the portions of phase π. Thex-directional electric field E₂(x) of the spatial image of the phasedistribution 56B is as follows.

E ₂(X)=a _(θ)−2a ₁exp(iΔθ)cos(2πx/P)  (3F)

The intensity I₂(x) of the spatial image is expressed by the product ofthe electric field E₂(x) of Expression (3F) and its complex conjugate asbelow. The second expression below is also obtained by ignoring thesecond-order and higher-order terms about Δφ under the condition that Δφis an infinitesimal amount.

$\begin{matrix}{{I_{2}(x)} = {{{\frac{4}{\pi^{2}}{\left( {1 + \frac{\Delta \; \varphi^{2}}{2}} \right) \cdot \left\{ {{\cos \left( \frac{4\pi \; x}{P} \right)} + 1} \right\}}} + {\frac{\sqrt{2}}{\pi}\Delta \; \varphi \left\{ {{\frac{\Delta\varphi}{2}{\cos \left( {\Delta \; \theta} \right)}} + {\sin \left( {\Delta \; \theta} \right)}} \right\} {\cos \left( \frac{2\pi \; x}{P} \right)}} + \frac{\Delta \; \varphi^{2}}{16}} \approx {{\frac{4}{\pi^{2}}\left\{ {{\cos \left( \frac{4\; \pi \; x}{P} \right)} + 1} \right\}} + {\frac{\sqrt{2}}{\pi}\Delta \; {{\varphi sin}\left( {\Delta \; \theta} \right)}{\cos \left( \frac{2\; \pi \; x}{P} \right)}}}}} & (7)\end{matrix}$

The second expression in this expression (7) is an inversion of the signof the second term (the intensity dependent on the systematic error Δφin the third expression in Expression (5).

An exposure dose distribution I_(ave) after the overlay operation of theexposure with the spatial image of the phase distribution 56A and theexposure with the spatial image of the phase distribution 56B is anaverage of an approximate value of the intensity I₁(x) in Expression (5)and an approximate value of the intensity I₂(x) in Expression (7) asbelow, in which the term dependent on the systematic error in theintensity I₁(x) and the term dependent on the systematic error in theintensity I₂(x) cancel out each other.

$\begin{matrix}{I_{ave} = {\frac{{I_{1}(x)} + {I_{2}(x)}}{2} = {\frac{4}{\pi^{2}}\left\{ {{\cos \left( \frac{4\pi \; x}{P} \right)} + 1} \right\}}}} & (8)\end{matrix}$

It is also seen from this expression that when there is the systematicerror ΔZ of the height of the mirror elements 30 (phase error Δφ) in theperiodic phase distribution, the double exposure provides the spatialimage without influence of the phase error Δφ.

The below will describe a situation where the exposure with the spatialimage of the first phase distribution 50A in FIG. 6(A) and the exposurewith the spatial image of the second phase distribution 50B in FIG. 6(B)which is the inversion of the phase distribution 50A as described aboveare implemented by scanning exposure. In the present embodiment, theY-directional intensity distribution INT of the illumination light IL inthe exposure region 26B on the surface of the wafer W varies in atrapezoidal shape with the width SY1 of slant portions at the both endsand the width SY2 of a flat portion, as shown in FIG. 14(A). In FIG.14(A), the horizontal axis represents Y-coordinates on the wafer Wdriven by the wafer stage WST in FIG. 1. During scanning exposure, forexample, the wafer stage WST is scanned at a constant speed in the+Y-direction and every time an arbitrary exposed point WP on the surfaceof the wafer W arrives at a Y-directional point Yi (i=1, 2, 3, . . . )in the exposure region 26B, one pulse of illumination light IL isemitted from the illumination optical system ILS onto the spatial lightmodulator 28, thereby to expose a region including the exposed point WP,with the spatial image of the phase distribution set in the spatiallight modulator 28. In this case, when a Y-directional moving amount ofthe wafer W for each pulse emission is defined as ΔY, i.e., when adistance between position Yi and position Y(i+1) is defined as ΔY, thepositions Yi are located in respective partial regions resulting fromdivision of the exposure region 26B by width AY in the Y-direction. Insynchronism with the Y-directional movement of the exposed point WP, thespatial images of the phase distributions 50A, 50B also move at the samespeed in the Y-direction.

In this case, when it is assumed in the present embodiment that thewafer W is exposed with the spatial image IA of the first phasedistribution 50A upon arrival of the exposed point WP at a position Yj(j is an integer), the wafer W is exposed with the spatial image IB ofthe second phase distribution 50B upon arrival of the exposed point WPat a next position Y(j+1). Namely, while the exposed point WP moves inthe Y-direction, the wafer is exposed alternately with the spatialimages IA and IB. In the example of FIG. 14(A), the wafer is exposedwith the spatial image IA upon every arrival of the exposed point WP atthe odd-numbered position Y1, Y3, . . . and exposed with the spatialimage TB upon every arrival at the even-numbered position Y2, Y4, . . .. Furthermore, in a duration in which the exposed point WP passesthrough either of the slant portions in the width SY1 at the both endsof the intensity distribution INT, the same number of times of exposuresare carried out with the spatial image IA of the phase distribution 50Aand with the spatial image B3 of the phase distribution 50B; in aduration in which the exposed point WP passes through the flat portionin the width SY2 in the center of the intensity distribution INT, thesame number of times of exposures are also carried out with the spatialimages IA and IB. A condition for this operation is that an even numberof moving amounts ΔY of the wafer W between pulse emissions fall withineach of the widths SY1 and SY2 as below.

SY1/ΔY=even number, SY2/ΔY=even number  (9)

When the conditions of Expression (9) do not hold, the number ofexposures with the spatial image IA and the number of exposures with thespatial image IB during the movement of the exposed point WP through theslant portion of the intensity distribution in the width SY1 (or throughthe flat portion in the width SY2) are different and the influence ofthe systematic error ΔZ of the mirror elements 30 is not completelycancelled out, raising a possibility of remnants of the systematic errorΔZ

For satisfying the conditions of Expression (9), as shown in FIG. 14(B),the Y-directional movement amount of the phase distribution 50A or 50Bper pulse emission is set to ΔY/β (β is the projection magnification ofthe projection optical system PL) in the array of mirror elements 30 inthe spatial light modulator 28. In FIG. 14(B), the Y-directionalintensity distribution INT1 of the illumination area 26A with theillumination light IL is a distribution in which the width of the slantportions of the intensity at the both ends is SY1/β and the width of theflat portion of intensity in the center is SY2/β. From Expression (9),the Y-directional movement amount ΔY/β of the phase distribution 50A or50B per pulse emission is the width SY1/β of the slant portions of theintensity distribution INT1 divided by the even number.

When the first one-pulse exposure is carried out with the phasedistribution 50A being set in the array of mirror elements 30, the nextone-pulse exposure is carried out with the phase distribution 50B beingset at the position resulting from Y-directional movement of the firstphase distribution 50A by ΔY/β; thereafter, the inverted phasedistribution 50A (or 50B) is set at the position resulting fromY-directional movement of the phase distribution 50B (or 50A) by ΔY/β tocarry out the next one-pulse exposure, followed by repetitions of theforegoing operations. Since in the present embodiment the projectionoptical system PL is assumed to form an erect image, when the scanningdirection of the wafer W is the −Y-direction, the phase distributions50A, 50B also move in the −Y-direction.

The below will describe a configuration example of the entire modulationcontrol unit 48 of the spatial light modulator 28 in FIG. 1, withreference to FIG. 15. In FIG. 15, the modulation control unit 48 isprovided with a controller 64, a memory 65 storing data of phasedistribution, a shift register circuit section 61, and a multiplexersection 66 for converting, for example, 64-bit phase data read from thememory 65, into plural sets of parallel outputs and feeding the outputsto the shift register circuit section 61. Since the shift registercircuit section 61 and the multiplexer section 66 can be disposed on thebase member 32 of the spatial light modulator 28, the shift registercircuit section 61 and the multiplexer section 66 are regarded as a partof the spatial light modulator 28 in the present embodiment. The mirrorelements 30 in the spatial light modulator 28 are arranged in M columnsin the X-direction and N rows in the Y-direction (cf. FIG. 17(A)). Theshift register circuit section 61 is a section in which M columns ofshift registers 61-j (j=1, 2, . . . , M) for driving N rows of mirrorelements 30 in the spatial light modulator 28 as a whole are arranged inparallel. As an example, M is 16000 (=64×250) and N 2000. Each shiftregister 61-j is of a serial-input and parallel-output type to processN-bit phase data.

Each shift register 61-j is composed of connected circuit units 63 eachof which consists of one flip-flop 60A or the like, one flip-flop totransfer data in the reverse direction (not shown), and one selectioncircuit 62A or the like to select an output signal from the flip-flops60 or the like, as shown in FIG. 2(B). The controller 64 writesinformation of phase distribution from the main control system 40 inFIG. 1 into the memory 65. Furthermore, the controller 64 supplies tothe memory 65 and each shift register 61-j, clock pulses CKP, which are,for example, ns times (ns is an integer and, for example, ns=20) thefrequency of emission trigger pulses TP supplied from the main controlsystem 40, to shift data of phase distribution for one line of mirrorelements 30 (M elements) sequentially read out of the memory 65, in eachshift register 61-j. When the frequency of pulse emissions from thelight source 2 is, for example, 2 MHz and the integer ns, e.g., 20, thefrequency of clock pulses CKP is 40 MHz. Furthermore, the controller 64supplies the selection signal SELS the level of which is inverted everyemission trigger pulse TP, to the selection circuit 62A or the like ineach circuit unit 63. This causes the phase distribution set in thearray of mirror elements 30 to be inverted while shifting in theY-direction, every pulse emission of the illumination light IL.

The below will describe an example of operation to perform scanningexposure of the wafer W while controlling the phase distribution set inthe array of mirror elements 30 in the spatial light modulator 28, inthe exposure apparatus EX of the present embodiment, with reference toFIG. 16. It is assumed herein that the spatial image of the phasedistribution 50A in FIG. 6(A) and the spatial image of the phasedistribution 50B in FIG. 6(B) as the inversion of the phase distribution50A are alternately transferred by exposure in a part of each shot areaon the wafer W. It is assumed for convenience′ sake of description thatthe wafer W is scanned in the −Y-direction and the shift registercircuit section 61 in FIG. 15 sequentially moves the phase data in the−Y-direction.

First, in step 102 in FIG. 16, the main control system 40 supplies thedata of the phase distribution 50A for the array of mirror elements 30in the spatial light modulator (SLM) 28 corresponding to the spatialimage to be transferred by exposure on the wafer W, to the controller 64of the modulation control unit 48. The controller 64 writes the datainto the memory 65. In next step 104, the wafer W coated with aphotoresist is loaded on the wafer stage WST and in next step 106, thescanning in the −Y-direction of the wafer_W is started by the waferstage WST. In next step 108, the controller 64 sets the selection signalSELS to the level of selecting the phase distribution 50A (non-invertedphase distribution).

In next step 110, the controller 64 outputs data of phases (0 or π) forone row of mirror elements 30 arranged in the X-direction, which is readout of the memory 65, to each shift register 61-j a=1, 2, . . . , M). Innext step 112, the controller 64 outputs one clock pulse CKP to advancethe data to the subsequent-stage flip-flop in each shift register 61-jin the shift register circuit section 61. Thereafter, it is determinedin step 114 whether the phase data is shifted by ns rows (ns is, forexample, 20) and, when the shift of ns rows is not achieved yet, theoperation returns to step 110 to repeat the operation of steps 110 and112.

Thereafter, when the phase data is shifted by ns rows, the operationtransfers to step 116 and the main control system 40 supplies theemission trigger pulse TP to the power unit 42 to make the light source2 emit one pulse to illuminate the illumination area 26A including thearray of mirror elements 30 in the spatial light modulator 28, as shownin FIG. 17(A). At this time, a partial phase distribution 50A1 of thephase distribution 50A is set in a first region 57A of ns rows from the+Y-direction in the array of mirror elements 30 and the wafer W isexposed with a spatial image of the phase distribution 50A1. It is notedthat in FIG. 17(A) and others, the ns rows are illustrated as seven rowsand the number of mirror elements 30 in the array is illustrated asbeing much smaller than the actual number. It is determined in next step116 whether one scanning exposure process is completed. When thescanning exposure is continued, the operation moves to step 120 in whichthe controller 64 sets the selection signal SELS to the level ofselecting the phase distribution (the phase distribution 50B herein)opposite to the preceding one. After that, the operation returns to step110.

In steps 110 to 114 after execution of this step 120, the operation ofoutputting the phase data to the first-stage flip-flop in each shiftregister 61-j and shifting the phase data in the shift register is alsorepeated ns times. In step 116 after that, one pulse of illuminationlight IL is emitted to expose the wafer W with spatial images of partialphase distributions 50B2, 50B1 of the inverted phase distribution 50Bset in the first region 57A and second region 57B of ns rows from the+Y-direction on the array of mirror elements 30, as shown in FIG. 17(B).In this case, the phase distribution 50B1 in the second region 57B is adistribution resulting from inversion of the phases of the phasedistribution 50A1 in the first region 57A in FIG. 17(A).

By the next operation of steps 120, and 110 to 116, the wafer W isexposed with spatial images of partial phase distributions 50A3 to 50A1of the phase distribution 50A set in the first region 57A to thirdregion 57C of ns rows from the +Y-direction on the array of mirrorelements 30, as shown in FIG. 17(C). On this occasion, the phasedistribution 50A being the phase distribution opposite to the precedingone is selected in step 120. By the next operation of steps 120, and 110to 116, the wafer W is exposed with spatial images of partial phasedistributions 50B4 to 50B 1 of the inverted phase distribution 50B setin the first region 57A to fourth region 57D of ns rows from the+Y-direction on the array of mirror elements 30, as shown in FIG. 18(A).However, a part of the fourth region 57D is located outside the array ofmirror elements 30 and the data as an inversion of the phasedistribution in a region 58A at an end in FIG. 17(C) is not used in FIG.18(A). Similarly, by the next operation of steps 120, and 110 to 116,the wafer W is exposed with spatial images of partial phasedistributions 50A5 to 50A2 of the phase distribution 50A set in thefirst region 57A to fourth region 57D on the array of mirror elements30, as shown in FIG. 18(B). In this case, the data as an inversion ofthe phase distribution in a region 58B at an end in FIG. 18(A) is notused, either.

In this manner, the wafer W is alternately exposed by scanning exposurewith the spatial images of the phase distributions 50A, 50B. Aftercompletion of the scanning exposure in step 118, the operation moves tostep 122 to halt the wafer stage WST. Thereafter, for example, the waferstage WST is stepwise moved in the X-direction and, with change of thescanning direction to the opposite direction, the operation of steps 106to 122 is then repeated. Since on this occasion the present embodimentinvolves alternately performing the scanning exposure with the phasedistributions 50A, 50B, even if there is the systematic error ΔZ of theheight of the reflective surfaces of the mirror elements 30, theexposure can be carried out with high accuracy by the maskless methodwhile suppressing the influence of the error.

The effects and others of the present embodiment are as described below.

(1) The exposure apparatus EX of the present embodiment is provided withthe spatial light modulator 28. The driving method of the spatial lightmodulator 28 by the modulation control unit 48 is the method of drivingthe spatial light modulator 28 with the array of mirror elements 30(optical elements) each of which can guide the illumination light IL tothe projection optical system PL. This driving method includes the step(this step corresponds to steps 110 to 114 after execution of step 108)of setting, in the array of mirror elements 30, the mirror elements 30Ain the first state for guiding reflected light of incident light withoutchange in phase (in the first phase δ1 of 0) to the projection opticalsystem PL and the mirror elements 30B in the second state for guidingreflected light of incident light with change in phase by the secondphase δ2 (δ2 is approximately 180° where δ1 is 0) differentapproximately 180° from the first phase δ1 to the projection opticalsystem PL, to the first arrangement with the phase distribution 50A.Furthermore, the driving method includes the step (this step correspondsto steps 110 to 114 after an odd number of times of execution of step120) of setting, in the array of mirror elements 30, the mirror elements30A and the mirror elements 30B to the second arrangement with the phasedistribution 50B which is the inversion of the phase distribution 50A.

The mirror elements 30A in the first state may guide the reflected lightwith the phase changed by the first phase 51 of an arbitrary valuerelative to the phase of incident light to the projection optical systemPL.

The spatial light modulator 28 has: the array of mirror elements 30 eachof which is to be illuminated with light; the flip-flops 60A, 60B (firstcircuits) which output the first signal to set the state of the mirrorelements 30 to the first state (the state of the mirror elements 30A) orthe second signal to set the state of the mirror elements 30 to thesecond state (the state of the mirror elements 30B); the multiplexersection 66 (control circuit) which controls the output signals from theshift registers 60A, 60B, in order to set, in the first region which isat least a part of the array of mirror elements 30, the arrangement ofthe mirror elements 30A in the first state and the mirror elements 30Bin the second state to the first arrangement; and the selection circuits62A, 62B (second circuits) which invert the output signals from theflip-flops 60A, 60B, in order to set, in the second region which is atleast a part of the array of mirror elements 30, the arrangement of themirror elements 30A in the first state and the mirror elements 30B inthe second state to the second arrangement resulting from the inversionof the optical elements in the first state or in the second state in thefirst arrangement into the second state or into the first state,respectively.

The exposure apparatus EX is the exposure apparatus for exposing thewafer W (substrate) with the illumination light IL (exposure light)through the projection optical system PL, which has: the light source 2and the illumination optical system ILS for emitting the illuminationlight; the spatial light modulator 28 arranged on the object plane sideof the projection optical system PL and having the array of mirrorelements 30 (optical elements) each of which can be controlled so as toguide the illumination light IL to the projection optical system PL; andthe main control system 40 and the modulation control unit 48 (controldevice) which control the light source 2 and the spatial light modulator28. The main control system 40 and modulation control unit 48 set, inthe first region which is at least a part of the array of mirrorelements 30, the arrangement of the mirror elements 30A in the firststate and the mirror elements 30B in the second state to the firstarrangement (the phase distribution 50A), in accordance with the spatialimage formed on the wafer W through the projection optical system PL,inplement of exposure of the wafer W, set, in the second region which isat least a part of the array of mirror elements 30, the arrangement ofthe mirror elements 30A and 30B to the second arrangement (the phasedistribution 50B) which is the inversion of the first arrangement, andimplement overlay exposure of the wafer W.

The present embodiment includes setting the mirror elements 30A, 30B tothe first arrangement in the first region of the array of mirrorelements 30 and setting the mirror elements 30A, 30B to the secondarrangement which is the inversion of the first arrangement in thesecond region of the array of mirror elements 30, and the systematicerror ΔZ of the height of the reflective surfaces occurring in themirror elements 30 in the first arrangement has the sign opposite tothat of the systematic error (−ΔZ) occurring in the mirror elements 30in the second arrangement. For this reason, the influence of thesystematic error ΔZ is alleviated when the wafer W is exposed by overlayexposure with the light from the mirror elements 30 in the firstarrangement and with the light from the mirror elements 30 in the secondarrangement.

Furthermore, when there is light reflected by the gap regions 34 abetween the mirror elements 30, the influence of the reflected lightfrom the gap regions 34 a on the spatial image is also alleviated.

(2) Since the spatial light modulator 28 has the mirror elements 30(reflective elements) as optical elements, it has high efficiency ofutilization of the illumination light IL. It is also possible, however,to use a transmission type spatial light modulator each of individualoptical elements of which changes the phase of transmitted light bypredetermined φ1 or approximately (φ1+180°), in place of the spatiallight modulator 28. Such optical elements applicable herein can beelectro-optic elements which vary the refractive index by voltage, orliquid crystal cells or the like.

(3) The exposure method by the exposure apparatus EX according to thepresent embodiment is the exposure method of exposing the wafer W(substrate) with the illumination light IL (exposure light) via thespatial light modulator 28 with the array of mirror elements 30 and viathe projection optical system Pl, which includes the steps 110 to 114 ofsetting the arrangement of states of the mirror elements 30 by theaforementioned driving method of the spatial light modulator 28, and thestep 116 of implementing overlay exposure of the wafer W with theillumination light IL from the illumination area 26A including the firstregion and the second region of the array of mirror elements 30 via theprojection optical system PL, in the state in which the mirror elements30 are set in the first arrangement and in the state in which the mirrorelements 30 are set in the second arrangement as the inversion of thefirst arrangement.

By the exposure method or the foregoing exposure apparatus EX, variouspatterns can be formed with high accuracy by the maskless method whilealleviating the influence of the systematic error of the mirror elements30 and/or the influence of the reflected light from the gap regions 34 abetween the mirror elements 30.

Each mirror element 30 in the spatial light modulator 28 may beconfigured so that it can be set in a plurality of states including athird state and other states except for the first state and the secondstate.

(4) The illumination light IL from the illumination optical system ILSis obliquely incident approximately at the angle of incidence a to themirror elements 30 and the reflected light from the mirror elements 30is incident into the projection optical system PL so as to intersectwith the optical axis AXW of the projection optical system PL.Therefore, the projection optical system PL is non-telecentric on theobject plane side, and thus the whole of reflected light from thespatial light modulator 28 can be applied onto the wafer W through theprojection optical system PL, achieving high efficiency of utilizationof the illumination light IL. Furthermore, the polarization state of theillumination light IL set by the polarization control optical system 6can be accurately reproduced on the surface of the wafer W.

(5) The mirror elements 30 are disposed in the rectangular region whoselongitudinal direction is the X-direction, the exposure apparatus EX hasthe wafer stage WST (substrate stage) for moving the wafer W in thescanning direction corresponding to the Y-direction perpendicular to theX-direction on the image plane of the projection optical system Pl, andthe modulation control unit 48 moves the patterns (phase distribution)formed by the mirror elements 30, in the Y-direction, according to themovement of the wafer W by the wafer stage WST. This allows efficientexposure over the entire surface of the wafer W.

The aforementioned embodiment can be modified as in modifications below.

First, instead of alternately setting the phase distributions 50A, 50Bby the array of mirror elements 30 in one spatial light modulator 28 asin the present embodiment, it is also possible to adopt a method ofarranging two spatial light modulators 28A, 28B adjacent to each otherin the Y-direction on the object plane of the projection optical systemPL, setting only the first phase distribution 50A or the like in onespatial light modulator 28A, and setting only the second phasedistribution 50B or the like in the other spatial light modulator 28B,as shown in a modification example of FIG. 14(C). In this modificationexample, the intensity distribution INT1 of the illumination light IL isset in the trapezoidal shape in the Y-direction in each of the spatiallight modulators 28A, 28B. Moreover, the phase distributions 50A, 50B orthe like move in the Y-direction every pulse emission in each of thespatial light modulators 28A, 28B. Furthermore, spatial light modulatorsmay be arranged as many as an even number larger than 2 so that thenumber of spatial light modulators set in the first phase distribution50A becomes equal to the number of spatial light modulators set in thesecond phase distribution 50B. For example, the number of spatial lightmodulators may be 2, 4, 6, or an even number larger than it.

Likewise, it is also possible to adopt a method of dividing one spatiallight modulator into two regions, first half and second half, settingonly the first phase distribution 50A or the like in the first halfregion, and setting only the second phase distribution 50B or the likein the second half region. In this modification example, the intensitydistribution of the illumination light has a shape of two trapezoidscoupled in the Y-direction corresponding to the first half and thesecond half of the spatial light modulator. Furthermore, one spatiallight modulator may be divided into equal regions as many as an evennumber equal to or larger than two, and either of the first phasedistribution 50A and the second phase distribution 50B is set in eachregion so that the first phase distributions 50A and the second phasedistributions 50B can exist in the same number in the entire region ofthe spatial light modulator. In this case, the intensity distribution ofthe illumination light has a shape of trapezoids coupled in theY-direction as many as the same number as the number of divided regions.

Furthermore, another possible modification is as follows: the array ofmirror elements 30 in one spatial light modulator 28 is illuminated withthe illumination light IL in an intensity distribution of trapezoidalshapes at two locations as in FIG. 14(C), and the first phasedistribution 50A or the like and the second phase distribution 50B orthe like are set in respective regions of the intensity distribution ofthe trapezoidal shapes at the two locations.

Next, the influence of the reflected light from the gap regions 34 awill be discussed based on simulations for the case where thereflectance of the gap regions 34 a in the array of mirror elements 30in the spatial light modulator 28 in FIG. 7(A) is high.

First, let us assume that, as shown in FIGS. 19(A) and 20(A), thepitches px, py of the arrangement of the array of mirror elements 30 inthe spatial light modulator 28 are 8 μm, the widths cx, xy of the gapregions 34 a are 1 μm, and the reflectance Rc of the gap regions 34 a is100%. It is also assumed that when each mirror element 30 is set in thesecond state (phase 7 c), the systematic error ΔZ in the distancebetween its reflective surface and the reference plane A1 in FIG. 2(B)is 2 nm in FIG. 19(A) and 4 nm in FIG. 20(A). Then, simulations wereconducted to obtain shape changes of resist patterns (changes withrespect to targets 38A, 38B) formed by sequentially setting the phasedistribution of the array of mirror elements 30 in the spatial lightmodulator 28 to the first phase distribution 50A in FIG. 7(A) and thesecond phase distribution 50B in FIG. 7(C) and doubly exposing the waferW with their spatial images by the projection optical system PL, foreach of cases where the gap phase δ3 as the change amount of the phaseof the reflected light from the gap regions 34 a in FIG. 19(A) or FIG.20(A) was set to 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°. FIGS. 19(B) to (E) and FIGS.20(B) to (E) show the simulation results in the cases where thesystematic error ΔZ is 2 nm and 4 nm, respectively. The slice level ofeach pattern in FIGS. 19 and 20 was determined so that the maximum ofthe X-directional widths became approximately equal to the target whenthe reflectance Rc of the gap regions 34 a was 100% and the systematicerror ΔZ 0 nm. This slice level is independent of the gap phase δ3 andthus is the same value.

FIG. 19(B) shows patterns L10, R10 with the best focus and patternsL10P, R10P, L10M, R10M with the defocuses of ±40 nm in the case of thegap phase 53 being 0°. FIG. 19(C) shows patterns L11, R11 with the bestfocus and patterns L11P, R11P, L11M, R11M with the defocuses of ±40 nmin the case of the gap phase 53 being 90°. FIG. 19(D) shows patternsL12, R12 with the best focus and patterns L12P, R12P, L12M, R12M withthe defocuses of ±40 nm in the case of the gap phase 53 being 180°. FIG.19(E) shows patterns L13, R13 with the best focus and patterns L13P,R13P, L13M, R13M with the defocuses of ±40 nm in the case of the gapphase 53 being 270°. It is seen from FIGS. 19(B) to (E) that in the caseof the systematic error ΔZ being 2 nm, the patterns close to the targets38A, 38B are obtained with the best focus and with the defocuses whenthe gap phase 53 is 0° or 180°.

FIG. 20(B) shows patterns L14, R14 with the best focus and patternsL14P, R14P, L14M, R14M with the defocuses of ±40 nm in the case of thegap phase 53 being 0°. FIG. 20(C) shows patterns L15, R15 with the bestfocus and patterns L15P, R15P, L15M, R15M with the defocuses of ±40 nmin the case of the gap phase 63 being 90°. FIG. 20(D) shows patternsL16, R16 with the best focus and patterns L16P, R16P, L16M, R16M withthe defocuses of ±40 nm in the case of the gap phase 63 being 180°. FIG.20(E) shows patterns L17, R17 with the best focus and patterns L17P,R17P, L17M, R17M with the defocuses of ±40 nm in the case of the gapphase δ3 being 270°. It is seen from FIGS. 20(B) to (E) that in the caseof the systematic error ΔZ being 4 nm, the patterns close to the targets38A, 38B are obtained with the best focus and with the defocuses whenthe gap phase 63 is 0° or 180°.

Data sequences C1, C2, C3, and C4 in FIG. 21 are plots of change amountsΔCD (%) of the line width of resist patterns from the line width (CD) oftargets obtained by simulations with variations of the systematic errorΔZ (nm), in the cases where the phase of the reflected light from thegap regions 34 a (gap phase 63) is 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°,respectively, as in the cases of FIGS. 19(B) to (E). In each of the datasequences C1 to C4, the change amount ΔCD-L of the line width of theleft pattern and the change amount ΔCD-R of the line width of the rightpattern are superimposed on each other. It is seen from FIG. 21 that inthe case of the gap phase 63 being 0° or 180°, the change amount ΔCD ofthe line width is small, independent of the systematic error ΔZ Thereason why there is the difference between the change amounts ΔCD of theline width in the cases of the gap phase 63 being 0° and 180° is thatthe systematic error ΔZ is given to only the mirror elements 30 in thesecond state (phase 7 r).

The data sequence in FIG. 22 is plots of change amounts ΔCD (%) of theline width of resist patterns obtained by the same simulations as inFIGS. 19(B) to (E) with variations of the gap phase δ3 at 30°intervalsand with the systematic error ΔZ of 2 nm. It is also seen from FIG. 22that ΔCD is close to 0 at the gap phase δ3 of 0° or 180°, so as to allowhigh-accuracy exposure of a pattern as an object.

Next, modification examples of the modulation control unit 48 in FIG. 1in the above embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 23 to25. FIG. 23 shows a part of the modulation control unit 48A of the firstmodification example. In FIG. 23, the modulation control unit 48A has: ashift register section 70S composed of a large number of connectedflip-flops 71 (three of which are shown in FIG. 23) to which the clockpulses CKP and phase data Data are supplied; a memory section 70M whichholds data D1, D2, D3 output from the shift resister section 70S, insynchronism with a timing pulse Word(W); a 0-π inversion section 70Rwhich outputs signals M1, M2, M3 obtained by inversion of the data SR1,SR2, SR3 held in the memory section 70M in synchronism with an inversionpulse Word(R), to terminals 75A, 75B, 75C; and the controller 64 andmemory 65 in FIG. 15. The signals at the terminals 75A, 75B aresupplied, for example, to the electrodes 36A for driving the mirrorelements 30 in FIG. 2(B). The signal at the other terminal 75C is alsosupplied to the electrode (not shown) for driving the other mirrorelement 30. The clock pulses CKP, write pulse Word(W), and inversionpulse Word(R) are output from the controller 64 in FIG. 15 and, thephase data Data from the memory 65 in FIG. 15.

The memory section 70M is provided with three FETs 72 to which therespective data D1 to D3 output from the shift register section 70S aresupplied and to gates of which the write pulse, pulse Word(W), issupplied, and three sets of two ring-coupled inverters 73A, 73B, andeach of respective outputs of the FETs 72 is supplied to aninterconnection of inverters 73A, 73B. The 0-π inversion section 70R isprovided with FETs 74A and inverters 73C to which the respective dataSR1 to SR3 written in the memory section 70M in synchronism with thewrite pulse Word(W) are supplied, and is provided with FETs 74B whichconnect outputs of the inverters 73C to the terminals 75A to 75C.Outputs of the FETs 74A are also connected to the terminals 75A to 75Cand the inversion pulse Word(R) is supplied to gates of the FETs 74A andto input-inverting gates of the FETs 74B.

FIG. 24 shows an example of timing from the clock pulses CKP to the dataSR3 in FIG. 23. In FIG. 24, a predetermined time delay td is set for thewrite pulse Word(W) for holding the phase data and for the emission ofillumination light IL (laser light) with respect to a clock pulse CKP.In the modulation control unit 48A, the phase distribution of the arrayof mirror elements 30 in the spatial light modulator 28 can be readilyinverted on a periodic basis by the aforementioned timing.

Next, FIG. 25 shows a part of the modulation control unit 48B of thesecond modification example. In FIG. 25, portions corresponding to thosein FIG. 23 are denoted by the same reference signs, and the detaileddescription thereof is omitted herein. In FIG. 25, the modulationcontrol unit 48B is provided with a shift register section 70SA composedof a large number of connected flip-flops 71A to which the clock pulsesCKP and phase data Data are supplied; a 0-π inversion section 70RA towhich data output from the shift register section 70SA and signalWord(W2) for writing of data into subsequent-stage memory section 70MAand for inversion of data are supplied; and the memory section 70MAwhich holds the phase data supplied from the 0-π inversion section 70RA.The phase data held in the memory section 70MA is output (or read out)to the terminals 75A to 75C in synchronism with a readout signalWord(W2). The signal Word(W2) is a signal having two states, e.g., a lowlevel to maintain the phase and a high level to invert the phase.

The 0-π inversion section 70RA has FETs 74A and 74B to which therespective data and inverted data output from the flip-flops 71A aresupplied, the signal Word(W2) is supplied to gates of the FETs 74A andto input-inverting gates of the FETs 74B, and data at connected outputparts of the FETs 74A and 74B are supplied to the memory section 70MA.The memory section 70MA is provided with three sets of two ring-coupledinverters 73A, 73B to which the data from the 0-π inversion section 70RAare supplied, and is provided with FETs 72, and the FETs 72 output (readout) data at interconnections of the inverters 73A, 73B to the terminals75A to 75C in synchronism with the readout signal Word(R2). The otherconfiguration is the same as in the first modification example. Thismodulation control unit 48B can readily achieve the periodic inversionof the phase distributions in the array of mirror elements 30 in thespatial light modulator 28 as the modulation control unit 48A can,though the 0-π inversion section 70RA and the memory section 70MA areinterchanged.

Next, the foregoing embodiment involves the scanning exposure of thewafer W with continuous movement of the wafer W. Besides it, theexposure may be carried out as follows: as shown in FIG. 3(B), each ofpartial regions constituting each shot area (e.g., SA22) on the wafer Wis divided into a plurality of sub-regions SB1 to SB5 or the like in theY-direction; when the sub-region SB1 or the like comes in the exposureregion 26B of the projection optical system PL, the array of mirrorelements 30 in the spatial light modulator 28 is set in the first phasedistribution (the phase distribution 50A or the like) and exposures areexecuted as many as a predetermined number of pulses; then the array ofmirror elements 30 is set in the second phase distribution (the phasedistribution 50B or the like) and exposures are executed as many as thepredetermined number of pulses, so as to expose the sub-region SB1 orthe like. In this case, the exposure region (first region) of the firstphase distribution is the same as the exposure region (second region) ofthe second phase distribution.

After this, the wafer W is stepwise moved in the Y-direction and whenthe next sub-region SB2 or the like reaches the exposure region 26B, theexposure is carried out in the same manner in the sub-region SB2 or thelike. This method is substantially the step-and-repeat method, but thesub-regions SB1 to SB5 or the like are exposed with mutually differentpatterns. In this case, overlay exposure is implemented in jointportions between the sub-regions.

Next, the above embodiment uses the projection optical system PLnon-telecentric on the object side. Besides it, it is also possible touse a projection optical system PLA bi-telecentric on the object sideand on the image side, as in an exposure apparatus EXA in a modificationexample in FIG. 26. In FIG. 26, the exposure apparatus EXA is providedwith an illumination optical system ILSA which emits s-polarizedillumination light IL approximately in the +Y-direction, a polarizationbeam splitter 71 which reflects the illumination light IL into the+Z-direction, a quarter wave plate 72 which converts the illuminationlight IL from the polarization beam splitter 71 into circularlypolarized light, the spatial light modulator 28 with the two-dimensionalarray of many mirror elements 30 for reflecting the circularly polarizedillumination light IL into the −Z-direction, and the projection opticalsystem PLA which receives the illumination light IL transmitted by thequarter wave plate 72 and the polarization beam splitter 71 afterreflected by the mirror elements 30 and which projects a spatial image(pattern) onto the exposure region 26B on the surface of the wafer W.The illumination optical system ILSA is an optical system obtained byexcluding the mirrors 8B, 8C from the illumination optical system ILS inFIG. 1. The configuration and action of the spatial light modulator 28are the same as those in the embodiment in FIG. 1 and the modificationexamples thereof.

In this modification example, however, the illumination light IL isincident approximately at the angle of incidence of 0 to the mirrorelements 30 in the spatial light modulator 28. For this reason, in thecase of small σ illumination, the reflected light from the mirrorelements 30 is incident into the projection optical system PL nearly inparallel with the optical axis AX of the projection optical system PL.Since this exposure apparatus EXA of the second modification example canuse the bi-telecentric projection optical system PLA, the configurationof the exposure apparatus can be simplified.

If the efficiency of utilization of the illumination light IL is allowedto decrease to half, an ordinary beam splitter may be used instead ofthe polarization beam splitter 71, without use of the quarter wave plate72. In this case, polarized illumination is available.

It is also possible to use a rod type integrator as an internalreflection type optical integrator, in place of the microlens array 16which is the wavefront division type integrator in FIG. 1.

The aforementioned embodiment and modification examples used the spatiallight modulator to dynamically change the phase of light passing theoptical elements, but it is also possible to use the spatial lightmodulator to provide a fixed phase difference to the light passing theoptical elements. The spatial light modulator of this kind is, forexample, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,512,926. The spatial lightmodulator disclosed therein is of the transmission type, but it may bemodified into the reflection type.

In this case, two spatial light modulators are prepared, a first spatiallight modulator (first mask) in which the phases of optical elements inthe spatial light modulator are in the first phase distribution and asecond spatial light modulator (second mask) in which the phases ofoptical elements in the spatial light modulator are in the second phasedistribution as an inversion of the first phase distribution, and thewafer (substrate) is doubly exposed with the first mask and the secondmask.

In other words, this exposure method is to expose at least a partialregion on a substrate with the exposure light via the first spatiallight modulator with the array of optical elements and via theprojection optical system and to expose at least the partial region onthe substrate with the exposure light via the second spatial lightmodulator with the array of optical elements and via the projectionoptical system. In this method, the arrangement of the optical elementsin the first state for letting incident light pass as light with thesame phase as that of the incident light or with a phase different bythe first phase from that of the incident light and the optical elementsin the second state for letting incident light pass as light with aphase different by the second phase different about 180° from the firstphase is set to the first arrangement in the first region which is atleast a part of the array of optical elements in the first spatial lightmodulator. In the second region which is at least a part of the array ofoptical elements in the second spatial light modulator, corresponding tothe first region, the arrangement of the optical elements in the firststate for letting incident light pass as light with the same phase asthat of the incident light or with a phase different by the first phasefrom that of the incident light and The optical elements in the secondstate for letting incident light pass as light with a phase different bythe second phase different about 180° from the first phase is set to thesecond arrangement. At this time, the arrangement of the opticalelements in the first state in the first arrangement corresponds to thearrangement of the optical elements in the second state in the secondarrangement, and the arrangement of the optical elements in the secondstate in the first arrangement corresponds to the arrangement of theoptical elements in the first state in the second arrangement.

This exposure method can alleviate adverse influence caused bysystematic phase error, if present, which is, for example, due to errorsof etching amounts of mask substrate glass in manufacture of the firstmask and the second mask. If there is light passing between the opticalelements, adverse influence thereof can also be alleviated.

In manufacture of electronic devices (or microdevices), the electronicdevices are manufactured, as shown in FIG. 27, through a step 221 ofperforming design of functionality and performance of the electronicdevices, a step 222 of storing pattern data of masks based on thisdesign step, into the main control system of the exposure apparatus EXin the embodiment, a step 223 of producing a substrate (wafer) as a basematerial of the devices and coat the substrate with a resist, asubstrate processing step 224 including a step of exposing the substrate(photosensitive substrate) with the spatial images of the phasedistributions generated in the spatial light modulator 28 by theaforementioned exposure apparatus EX (or the exposure method), a step ofdeveloping the exposed substrate, and heating (curing) and etching stepsof the developed substrate, a device assembly step (including processingsteps such as a dicing step, a bonding step, a packaging step, and soon) 225, an inspection step 226, and so on.

This device manufacturing method includes the step of exposing the waferW with the use of the exposure apparatus (or the exposure method) of theabove embodiment, and the step of processing the exposed wafer W (step224). Therefore, the electronic devices can be manufactured with highaccuracy.

The present invention is not limited to the application to semiconductordevice manufacturing processes, but the present invention is also widelyapplicable, for example, to manufacturing processes of liquid crystaldisplay devices, plasma displays, and so on and to manufacturingprocesses of various devices (electronic devices) such as imagingdevices (CMOS type, CCD, etc.), micromachines, MEMS(Microelectromechanical Systems), thin film magnetic heads, and DNAchips.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but canbe realized in various configurations within the scope not departingfrom the spirit and scope of the present invention. The disclosures inthe foregoing Publications, International Publication, U.S. Patent, orU.S. Pat. Published Application cited in the present specification areincorporated as part of the description of the present specification.The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-277530filed on Dec. 13, 2010, including the specification, the scope ofclaims, the drawings, and the abstract, is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

EX exposure apparatus; ELS illumination optical system; PL projectionoptical system; W wafer; 28 spatial light modulator; 30 mirror elements;40 main control system; 48 modulation control unit; 50A, 53A phasedistribution; 50B, 53B inverted phase distribution; 60A, 60B flip-flops;62A, 62B selection circuits.

1. A method of driving a spatial light modulator having an array ofoptical elements each of which is to be illuminated with light, themethod comprising: setting, in a first region which is at least a partof the array of optical elements, an arrangement of optical elements ina first state for letting incident light pass as light with the samephase as that of the incident light or with a phase different by a firstphase from that of the incident light and optical elements in a secondstate for letting incident light pass as light with a phase different bya second phase which is different substantially 180° from the firstphase, to a first arrangement; and setting, in a second region which isat least a part of the array of optical elements, an arrangement ofoptical elements in the first state and optical elements in the secondstate to a second arrangement in which optical elements in the firststate or in the second state in the first arrangement are inverted intothe second state or into the first state, respectively.
 2. The method ofdriving the spatial light modulator according to claim 1, wherein thesecond region is shifted by a first shift amount in a first directionwith respect to the first region on the array of optical elements. 3.The method of driving the spatial light modulator according to claim 2,wherein the array of optical elements is illuminated with light havingan intensity distribution of a trapezoidal shape in the first directionand wherein the first shift amount is substantially a width of a portionslant in the first direction in the intensity distribution divided by aneven number.
 4. The method of driving the spatial light modulatoraccording to claim 1, wherein the array of the optical elements isilluminated with an even number of light beams arranged at substantiallyequal intervals in a first direction and each having an intensitydistribution of substantially the same trapezoidal shape in the firstdirection, wherein the first region is located in at least one of theeven number of regions illuminated with the light having the intensitydistribution of the trapezoidal shape, and the second region is locatedin at least another one of the even number of regions, and wherein thenumber of the first region and the number of the second region are equalto each other.
 5. The method of driving the spatial light modulatoraccording to claim 1, wherein the second region is the same region asthe first region.
 6. The method of driving the spatial light modulatoraccording to claim 1, wherein the first region is: a region adjacent toa region in which optical elements in the first state and opticalelements in the second state are arranged in a checkered pattern, in thearray of optical elements.
 7. An exposure method of exposing a substratewith exposure light via an array of optical elements in a spatial lightmodulator and via a projection optical system, the exposure methodcomprising: setting an arrangement of states of the optical elements bythe method of driving the spatial light modulator as set forth in claim1; and implementing overlay exposure of the substrate with the exposurelight from an illumination area including the first region and thesecond region of the array of optical elements via the projectionoptical system, in a state in which the optical elements are set in thefirst arrangement and in a state in which the optical elements are setin the second arrangement.
 8. An exposure method of exposing a substratewith exposure light via an array of optical elements in a spatial lightmodulator and via a projection optical system, the exposure methodcomprising: setting an arrangement of states of the optical elements bythe method of driving the spatial light modulator as set forth in claim2; exposing the substrate with the exposure light from an illuminationarea including the first region and the second region of the array ofoptical elements via the projection optical system, in a state in whichthe optical elements are set in the first arrangement; moving thesubstrate by an amount corresponding to the first shift amount in adirection corresponding to the first direction; and implementing overlapexposure of the substrate with the exposure light from the illuminationarea of the array of optical elements via the projection optical system,in a state in which the optical elements are set in the secondarrangement.
 9. An exposure method of exposing a substrate with exposurelight via an array of optical elements in a spatial light modulator andvia a projection optical system, the exposure method comprising: settingan arrangement of states of the optical elements by the method ofdriving the spatial light modulator as set forth in claim 4; setting aplurality of said optical elements in the first arrangement in anodd-numbered region in an order along the first direction, among theeven number of regions; exposing the substrate with the exposure lightfrom the odd-numbered region via the projection optical system; movingthe substrate in a direction corresponding to the first direction by adistance corresponding to a width obtained by multiplying substantiallya width of a slant portion in the intensity distribution of the evennumber of regions divided by an integer, by a magnification of theprojection optical system; setting a plurality of said optical elementsin the second arrangement in an even-numbered region in the order alongthe first direction, among the even number of regions; and implementingoverlay exposure of the substrate with the exposure light from theeven-numbered region via the projection optical system.
 10. An exposuremethod of exposing at least a partial region on a substrate withexposure light via a first spatial light modulator with an array ofoptical elements and via a projection optical system, and exposing atleast said partial region on the substrate with exposure light via asecond spatial light modulator with an array of optical elements and viathe projection optical system, the exposure method comprising: setting,in a first region which is at least a part of the array of opticalelements in the first spatial light modulator, an arrangement of opticalelements in a first state for letting incident light pass as light withthe same phase as that of the incident light or with a phase differentby a first phase from that of the incident light and optical elements ina second state for letting incident light pass as light with a phasedifferent by a second phase which is different substantially 180° fromthe first phase, to a first arrangement; and setting, in a second regionwhich is at least a part of the array of optical elements in the secondspatial light modulator and corresponds to the first region, anarrangement of optical elements in the first state for letting incidentlight pass as light with the same phase as that of the incident light orwith a phase different by the first phase from that of the incidentlight and optical elements in the second state for letting incidentlight pass as light with a phase different by the second phase which isdifferent substantially 180° from the first phase, to a secondarrangement, wherein an arrangement of optical elements in the firststate in the first arrangement corresponds to an arrangement of opticalelements in the second state in the second arrangement, and wherein anarrangement of optical elements in the second state in the firstarrangement corresponds to an arrangement of optical elements in thefirst state in the second arrangement.
 11. A spatial light modulatorhaving an array of optical elements each of which is to be illuminatedwith light, the spatial light modulator comprising: a plurality of firstcircuits which output a first signal for setting states of the opticalelements to a first state for letting incident light pass as light withthe same phase as that of the incident light or with a phase differentby a first phase from that of the incident light, or a second signal forsetting the states of the optical elements to a second state for lettingincident light pass as light with a phase different by a second phasewhich is different substantially 180° from the first phase; a controlcircuit which controls output signals from the plurality of firstcircuits, in order to set, in a first region which is at least a part ofthe array of optical elements, an arrangement of optical elements in thefirst state and optical elements in the second state to a firstarrangement; and a plurality of second circuits which invert the outputsignals from the first circuits, in order to set, in a second regionwhich is at least a part of the array of optical elements, anarrangement of optical elements in the first state and optical elementsin the second state to a second arrangement in which the opticalelements in the first state or in the second state in the firstarrangement are inverted into the second state or into the first state,respectively.
 12. The spatial light modulator according to claim 11,wherein a gap region between the optical elements lets incident lightpass as light with a phase being substantially the same as the firstphase or with a phase being different substantially 180° from the firstphase.
 13. The spatial light modulator according to claim 11, whereinthe array of optical elements comprises an array of N optical elementsin a first direction and M optical elements in a second directionperpendicular to the first direction (where N and M are integers of notless than 2), and wherein the plurality of first circuits, as a whole,comprise a parallel arrangement of M shift registers each of whichincludes N flip-flops connected in series.
 14. An exposure apparatus forexposing a substrate with exposure light via a projection opticalsystem, the exposure apparatus comprising: the spatial light modulatoras set forth in claim 11, which is arranged on the object plane side ofthe projection optical system; and a control device which controls anoperation of exposing the substrate with the exposure light from thearray of optical elements in the spatial light modulator via theprojection optical system, wherein the control device operates asfollows: the control device implements overlay exposure of the substratein a state in which the arrangement of the array of optical elements isset to the first arrangement, and in a state in which the arrangement ofthe array of optical elements is set to the second arrangement.
 15. Theexposure apparatus according to claim 14, comprising a stage for movingthe substrate, wherein the control device operates as follows: thecontrol device shifts the second region of the spatial light modulatorby a first shift amount in a first direction with respect to the firstregion, and moves the substrate in a direction corresponding to thefirst direction through the stage.
 16. An exposure apparatus forexposing a substrate with exposure light via a projection opticalsystem, the exposure apparatus comprising: an illumination system whichemits the exposure light; a spatial light modulator which is arranged onthe object plane side of the projection optical system and which has anarray of optical elements each of which can be controlled so as to guidethe exposure light to the projection optical system; and a controldevice which controls the illumination system and the spatial lightmodulator, wherein the control device operates as follows: the controldevice sets, in a first region which is at least a part of the array ofoptical elements, an arrangement of optical elements in a first statefor letting incident light pass as light with the same phase as that ofthe incident light or with a phase different by a first phase from thatof the incident light and optical elements in a second state for lettingincident light pass as light with a phase different by a second phasewhich is different substantially 180° from the first phase, to a firstarrangement, in accordance with a spatial image formed on the substratevia the projection optical system, to expose the substrate; and thecontrol device sets, in a second region which is at least a part of thearray of optical elements, an arrangement of optical elements in thefirst state and optical elements in the second state to a secondarrangement in which the optical elements in the first state or in thesecond state in the first arrangement are inverted into the second stateor into the first state, respectively, to implement overlay exposure ofthe substrate.
 17. The exposure apparatus according to claim 16,comprising a stage for moving the substrate, wherein the control deviceoperates as follows: the control device shifts the second region by afirst shift amount in a first direction with respect to the first regionon the array of optical elements, and, prior to exposure of thesubstrate with the second arrangement, the control device moves thesubstrate in a direction corresponding to the first direction throughthe stage.
 18. The exposure apparatus according to claim 17, wherein theillumination system illuminates the array of optical elements with lighthaving an intensity distribution of a trapezoidal shape in the firstdirection, and wherein the control device sets the first shift amount tosubstantially a width of a portion slant in the first direction in theintensity distribution divided by an even number.
 19. The exposureapparatus according to claim 17, wherein the illumination systemilluminates the array of optical elements with an even number of lightbeams arranged at substantially equal intervals in the first directionand having respective intensity distributions of trapezoidal shapessubstantially identical with each other, and wherein the control devicesets the first shift amount to substantially a width of slant portionsin the intensity distributions of the even number of light beams dividedby an integer.
 20. The exposure apparatus according to claim 16, whereinthe second region is the same region as the first region.
 21. Theexposure apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the optical elementsin the spatial light modulator are respective reflective elements, andwherein the exposure light is obliquely incident to the reflectiveelements and reflected light from the reflective elements is incidentinto the projection optical system so as to intersect with an opticalaxis of the projection optical system.
 22. The exposure apparatusaccording to claim 14, comprising a beam splitter arranged between thespatial light modulator and the projection optical system, wherein theexposure light is incident into the projection optical system via thebeam splitter, the spatial light modulator, and the beam splitter.
 23. Adevice manufacturing method comprising: forming a pattern of aphotosensitive layer on the substrate, using the exposure method as setforth in claim 7; and processing the substrate with the pattern formedthereon.
 24. A device manufacturing method comprising: forming a patternof a photosensitive layer on the substrate, using the exposure apparatusas set forth in claim 14; and processing the substrate with the patternformed thereon.